Destiny's Promise
by Ticklesivory
Summary: Obidala. The Great Jedi Purge has erased all hope from the Galaxy. Darkness and Vader prevail. But without the Jedi, who will protect the innocent? Yoda believes he may have the answer.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Destiny's Promise

Author: Ticklesivory

Rating: M

Pairings: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padme Amidala

Genre: AU, romantic drama, post ROTS

Warnings: Explicit adult and sexual situations

Acknowledgments: Goes to George Lucas for without his genius, we wouldn't have Obi-Wan to play with. Also goes to Pronker for her patience and understanding, inspirational words, and comedic pick-me-ups. Thanks, my friend.

Summary: Obidala. The Great Jedi Purge has erased all hope from the Galaxy. Darkness and Vader prevail. But without the Jedi, who will protect the innocent? Yoda believes he may have the answer.

_Story cover link available at my Profile. I wouldn't mind at all if someone wanted to create a vid for this. My PC can't seem to handle the process any more._

**Chapter One **

Space is cold. So much more now that Darkness has consumed the Galaxy. Now that Vader is in control.

Vader. The name is foreign, a splinter inside Obi-Wan Kenobi's mind, but the idea of an apprentice turning to the Dark Side is not. Did not his own Master suffer the same consequences of indulging his first Padawan? And had not Obi-Wan, as a youth, try to convince his Master there was nothing he could've done to change things? Qui-Gon Jinn had trained his student as best he could. Obi-Wan had done the same. Now, it was time to move forward. Into a future he was uncertain of. The Force was muddied, its currents shadowed. It told him nothing. Only an occasional glimmer of Light pierced through a suffocating veil of darkness, but it was enough. It would have to be.

At least Master Yoda had survived. The venerable Jedi had somehow escaped the clutches of the Supreme Chancellor, now known as Darth Sidious. At least they were together, he and the esteemed Master, hiding out on this private vessel bound for...nowhere in particular. They had no place to go, no direction, no goal. Their only plan was to just survive.

Perhaps the owner of the vessel, Senator Organa from Alderaan would have some good news, although his expression did not reveal that to be true.

"I'm afraid the reports are confirmed Master Yoda," Bail Organa informs the two Jedi seated around the shining, silver conference table. "The clones have tracked down Mundi and Koon."

"Felt them pass into the Force, I did," Yoda replies, his voice cracking, his large ears drooping.

So that was it. It was just the two of them left now. It was difficult to maintain a positive outlook in light of everything, but Obi-Wan had tried. There didn't seem to be any point now. He allows his own eyes to drop, the defeat of good, the grief of all he had known weighing heavily upon him. There's still one question which needs to be answered, however, and one that everyone has so far been avoiding. He no longer can.

"What about Padme?"

"Remain with us, she shall."

"She won't agree to that," Obi-Wan defends the senator from Naboo. He has known Padme Amidala most of his adult life. He is certain she will never agree to running and hiding out the rest of her natural life.

"It's too dangerous to have her come with us," Bail argues, obviously speaking of he and his wife and their home on Alderaan. "Anakin will still be looking for her."

"But he thinks she's dead," Obi-Wan points out. "Doesn't he?" Doesn't everyone? They had gone to great lengths to protect Padme from Anakin, even faking her death and placing one of her recently murdered handmaidens in a coffin. The Naboo funeral proceedings had been broadcast all over the Holonet. As far as the Galaxy was concerned, Padme Amidala was dead.

"A chance we cannot take," Yoda adominishes the younger Jedi. "Too much at stake, there is."

What was Yoda talking about? "What's at stake?" Obi-Wan blurts out. "The Temple is in ruins, all of the other Jedi are dead. Anakin...Darth Vader and his Master are now in control of the Senate and the Core. I honestly don't see what else can be lost."

If it were possible, Yoda's large green eyes bear more sadness than they had before, but it isn't due to despair. Obi-Wan recognizes the look. It is disappointment.

He's a grown man. When will he ever learn to shut up and listen?

Following a deep breath, Obi-Wan centers himself, releasing his anxieties into the frail remnants of the Force.

"Better, that is," Yoda compliments his efforts before leaning forward in his chair, his three-fingered claws gripping his gimmerstick tightly. "A vision I have had. Of the future, it is."

A million questions form in Obi-Wan's mind, but he isn't a Jedi Master for naught. He remains still and waits on the aged Jedi to continue.

"Vader's demise, come through offspring, it will."

"Offspring?" Obi-Wan can no longer hold his tongue. "But I thought..." the ghastly sight of his Padawan burning upon the volcanic ridge of Mustafar momentarily clouds Obi-Wan's mind. "I thought the operations...I thought Anakin would not be able to...have a family."

A small grin turns up Yoda's mouth and immediately puts Obi-Wan on his guard. He recognizes that look as well.

"The offspring of Anakin is not of which I speak."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The closer Obi-Wan gets to Padme's quarters on board, the more his confidence begins to wane. Perhaps he should go back and have Master Yoda explain everything to him again. Just to make sure.

Or perhaps he can continue to stand in the hall outside her door looking like an idiot.

The vision was clear, although sketchy, but then Yoda never shares everything he knows. Obi-Wan has always wondered about that. Why all the riddles? Sure, it made sense when he was a Padawan. A conversation with the ancient Master always made him think in ways he never had before.

But now...Now, they didn't have the luxury of time - time to sit and mull over puzzling words until he figures out their meaning. Although that was exactly what he was doing - wasting time.

With newfound assurance or a simple gathering of sheer will, Obi-Wan lifts his hand to rap upon the closed door, noticing a slight tremor accompanying the movement. This is ridiculous. He has stood before armies of thousands and delivered peace treaties, argued with Kings, and battled Sith. Why then, did delivering this one message cause his insides to quiver?

No time to dwell on that thought. The door is opening.

"Master Kenobi? Come in."

She's tired. The weariness shows in her face and posture, and in the way she drops down upon the sleep couch on the opposite side of the room.

Might as well get to the point, although he has a good idea of what's going to happen. This is not going to go well. Not at first. But Yoda insisted it be Obi-Wan who delivers the news. After all, he has known Padme the longest, which was why he had a good idea of what she was going to say. All her life, she had serves the Republic. Would this be asking her do something all that different? She might not take too kindly to the idea at first, but she'll come around. He's sure of it.

"Do you need something?"

Apparently, she isn't in the mood for visitors. He doesn't blame her. She has just witnessed her own funeral. That would make anyone a little cranky. Might as well get this over with.

"I've been talking with Master Yoda..."

"Please take a seat. You're making my neck ache."

"Yes...all right. Thank you." Deep breath, soft cushion. Good. "As I was saying, Master Yoda told me about a vision he's had - one that involves you."

"Frankly," Padme interrupts, rubbing the weariness from her eyes, "I'm tired of listening to gloomy prophetic tales. I just want to get some rest."

"This will only take a minute," Obi-Wan insists. After he's finished, she can relax. She'll have plenty to think about. Another deep breath.

"Go on."

"Master Yoda has seen a glimpse of the future in which a pair of young Jedi, siblings actually, defeat Darth Sidious and his apprentice." Obi-Wan cannot say his name aloud. Not to her.

It had been an astounding revelation to Obi-Wan, but he notices Padme doesn't look all that impressed.

Now for the tricky part.

"Since we no longer have the resources available to us to locate and train Force sensitives, these siblings will be born from a Jedi survivor." And yet another deep breath. "I will be the one to father them."

One of her eyebrows rises significantly higher than the other, but surprisingly, Padme remains silent, so Obi-Wan continues, quickly gathering his confidence.

"Past biological studies have revealed there is only a slight chance of offspring of Jedi having a high enough midichlorian count to qualify them for Jedi training, but Yoda has declared the vision to reveal just that."

"Interesting," Padme replies although her posture continues to express a definite lack of interest. "And what lucky girl will have the privelege of bearing these saviors of the Republic?"

Sarcasm. He hasn't heard Padme use it very often, but he recognizes the tone. And the eyebrow is back up, warning Obi-Wan he should proceed with caution. Things might not actually go as well as he had hoped.

"Master Yoda believes...and I concur with his interpretation..." A lick of the lips, a swipe of a hand through his graying hair. Obi-Wan realizes he's stalling.

"Just spit it out, Master Kenobi."

"It's you, Padme. You will be the one to carry and give birth to them."

Silence.

The scene reminds Obi-Wan of the storms they have on Almania - a pastoral planet in the Meridian Sector, with its vast white beaches and crystal blue waters. That is, until the storm season arrives and all hell breaks loose. But up until that time, everything is quiet, peaceful, still.

"Get out."

The first thunderclap occurs above the far distant mountains beyond the beaches. If you're wise, you'll seek shelter. You know what's coming.

Apparently, he is not all that wise. "Padme if you'll just listen..."

"Get out!"

Debris. The storm has come upon him quickly and is whriling objects past his head. "Padme...wait!" Obi-Wan tries to reason while dodging anything the woman can get her hands on.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi, you get the hell out!"

And if a sliding door aboard a luxurious yacht could slam, Obi-Wan is sure it would have. Right in his face.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

That did not just happen. Yes, the galaxy had turned itself upside down, inside out, but Obi-Wan Kenobi did not just walk into her room and tell her they needed to have a child together.

She must have hallucinated it. Maybe everything that's happened in the past week has affected her more than she thinks.

"C-3PO?"

The golden metallic droid shuffles into the area foyer from the lounge area on board Bail Organa's impressive yacht. "How may I be of assistance?"

"Did Master Kenobi just come in here?"

"I believe he did, Senator. Of course, I was in the other room taking inventory of ..."

"Did he make an outlandish statement to me," Padme interrupts the verbose droid, "...something about having a child?"

"I cannot confirm that, Senator. I was in the other room and..."

"Never mind. You're excused."

The confused droid hesitates, but follows Padme's command, leaving the young woman alone once again, the rumble of the ship's engines vibrating the floor beneath her feet.

Her senses are intact. She can smell the stale, recycled air of the yacht, feel the tremor of hyperspace, and see the blur of the passing stars outside the nearby port.

This is Bail's ship, and on board are the owner, Master Yoda, and yes - Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Slowly, the young woman's face transforms into rage, lines of anger creasing her brow. "How dare he!"

Her exclamation brings the golden droid back into the room. "Is everything all right?"

"How dare he march in here and make such an outrageous proposition!"

"Pardon me? I don't really know what you are..."

Padme ignores C-3POs statement, continuing to rant as she paces the floor, her hands flinging out wildly with each assertion. "True, I've known him the better part of the past ten years, but that gives him no right to make such assumptions! Friends or not! What could he be thinking?"

"Perhaps if I understood the reference..." the droid attempts to reason with the angry young woman, to no avail.

"The arrogance! The nerve! I mean, what am I? Breeding stock? Don't get me wrong, it's not the actual process that irritates me. It's not like I haven't fantasized..." the young woman pauses, dropping her head down into her outstretched hand. "Forget I said that. I must be going cazy. Maybe I'm just tired. I'll be heading to bed now, 3PO."

"Yes. Yes ma'am." The droid watches the young woman in silence, as she gathers her cloak and retires to the resting area. "I will never understand human behavior," he mutters to himself as she returns to his duties.

The idea of rest is alluring, but sleep does not cooperate with Padme Amidala as she lies upon the comfortable sleep couch on board Bail Organa's yacht. Usually, the white noise of hyperspace travel lulls her into a peaceful sleep, but not this time. Her mind is too fretful, her thoughts betraying her previous outburst.

She is a servant of the galaxy, and has been for most of her life. How much has she given up in the past to perform her duty? Would this be any different? Was the galaxy really depedent upon this type of commitment?

She had heard rumors of Anakin's reign of terror, of how many innocents had already been tortured, all of the Jedi who had been tracked down and killed. Of the younglings...the little ones he had destroyed with his own hands. Obi-Wan had delivered that bit of news personally, and at first she hadn't wanted to believe it, but now, with more reports reaching her of acts just as heinous, Padme had finally accepted the truth.

Anakin had truly become a monster.

Obi-Wan could not destroy him. He had said so himself as he explained to her their battle on Mustafar, told her through choked emotion how much he loved Anakin like a brother. And Yoda - Yoda's wisdom must be preserved they had said. For the future generation of Jedi: Those who would one day rise up against the threat of the Empire.

According to Obi-Wan, she held the key that would unlock the door to such a revolution.

Could it be true?

No matter what she thought of Master Kenobi, especially at this particular moment - he had never lied to her.

But how? How could she do this?

As Padme stilled her mind and body, swiping away the last trace of angry tears which clouded her vision, a voice reminiscent of her mother's filled her mind. The words she heard were the same words Jobal had delivered on the day of Padme's initiation as Queen of Naboo. Such a long time ago.

_"When you become a servant, Padme, no longer do your interests come first. _ _True leadership emerges from those whose primary motivation is a deep desire to help others."_

To help others. It was her destiny, was it not? As a servant of the people, it was indeed her duty. She could not abandon it. Not even now.

Padme closed her eyes, determined to find rest, although a final thought plagued her.

She would do this, but was not certain if she could endure it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

If he had hadn't overheard the hushed profanity, Bail would've walked right through his ship's galley without noticing there was another presence in the space. But there, in the darkness of the far corner, staring out the porthole, berating himself was Master Kenobi.

_"…no better than a chuff-sucking leach! That's what you are! Not worthy to lick the slime off the underbelly of a Hutt! What in the name of the Sith is the matter with you?"_

The Prince of Alderaan approached carefully, clearing his throat loudly before he spoke. He wasn't in the mood to get his head lopped off.

"Master Kenobi? I take it the meeting with Senator Amidala did not go well?" he asked lightheartedly, sighing with relief when the Jedi smirked - as close to a smile as could be expected under the circumstances, thought Bail.

"If we're going to discuss this delicate situation," the Jedi Master calmly rationalized, "perhaps you should call me Obi-Wan."

There was the smile his personal secretary was always talking about. "Agreed. Call me Bail, as well."

"Well, Bail, it appears I lack the wisdom, as well as the experience to arbitrate a sensitive transaction with a Galactic Senator."

"The Great Negotiator?" Senator Organa joked, deciding he may not be so wise when he noted the shudder pass over the Jedi's frame, as well as the frown, which appeared on his bearded face. "I'm sorry things didn't go as you had planned, but what did you expect?"

"I had _hoped," _Obi-Wan emphasized, "she would understand, but honestly I didn't know what to expect. I was surprised she took the news so…inadequately."

"You have to remember where Padme comes from, her history, and her experiences," Bail advised. "Her entire life up to this point has been devoted to service to the Republic, and now that Republic has been annihilated. She is probably thinking her entire life's work has been for naught." The Senator from Alderaan had to take a moment to clear his throat again, his voice having become constricted due to a sudden rush of emotion. Padme Amidala wasn't the only one distraught over the recent fall of democracy. "Give her time, Obi-Wan. I'm sure she'll come around."

The politician placed a firm grip on the Jedi's shoulder to offer his support and then left the General to his own reasoning. Obi-Wan was a wise man. Bail was sure he would figure out what to do.

Obi-Wan, on the other hand, was not as confident. After sharing Yoda's vision so bluntly with Padme earlier, he wouldn't blame her if she never spoke with him again, much less bear his children.

* * *

Padme woke up from a fitful, dreamless sleep, eyes swollen from shedding too many tears, head aching from too many worries. It had been a rough day. A rough day! Sith Hells, a rough year!

If Dorme were here, Padme knew what she would say. Her comrade would tell her it was time to put her big girl panties on and get the job done, no matter what the cost to her personally.

It wasn't that difficult. All her life, she had sacrificed her own desires for those of her people on Naboo, even for those across the Galaxy whom she had never met. It was what she did. Who she was. Would offering her body to the service of what was left of the Republic be that much different?

It was a noble cause – if it were true. The fact was, she wasn't sure if she trusted Yoda any more. Why hadn't he seen this coming? Why had Anakin been allowed to harbor such anger and guilt all this time? Why hadn't the Jedi intervened and demanded that Anakin cease his relationship with the Chancellor? Why hadn't Obi-Wan?

Why hadn't she?

Realization struck Padme like a fist in her stomach.

This was just as much her fault as anyone else's. She knew who Anakin was, knew what he was capable of. She had witnessed his temper on Tatooine when he had murdered those families of sand people. She had listened to his grandiose ideas about the future of the Republic, which were so contrary to her own. She had listened to him rave about the Chancellor, had questioned their odd friendship, and had pushed it all aside. All because of the idiotic idea of love.

Love had made her blind to Anakin's faults, his preoccupation with perfection and success, his jealousies and anxieties over Obi-Wan standing in the way of that success.

And if love had corrupted her happiness and ruined her life, then she would rely upon something much more dependable. Duty.

From now on, she would let service and duty be her guide. Her love would be for democracy and democracy alone. Never again would she be blinded by emotions or feelings for a man.

Her life belonged to the Republic now, as it should have in the beginning.

With her decision made, Padme rose and showered, dressed, and left her quarters to search out Obi-Wan Kenobi to tell him the news.

She would agree to his and Master Yoda's plan of restoring the Republic - on one condition. She would not participate in this outrageous scheme while floating around the galaxy with no place to go. If she was going to carry and give birth to the salvation of the Jedi, then she was going to have a home to do it in. And she didn't care where.

As long as it wasn't Tatooine.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

The _Sundered Heart _was a massive vessel. Its twin turboblasters were a warning to any approaching pirate, and with eleven ion turbine engines, it could outrun the fastest Corellian cruiser.

It was also luxurious, having been designed to carry dignitaries and guests of Alderaan aristocracy. The stateroom at its highest level was decorated with fine art and expensive furnishings. It offered sleeping quarters as well as a living area for entertaining, which included tables and sofas, as well as two advanced emergency escape pods.

The engine room could seat up to three people, and hold up to 12 passengers, although at the moment, Padme was having difficulty finding any of the three presently on board. She finally did, in the officer's quarters on the second level, where Master Yoda, Senator Organa, and Obi-Wan were seated around an oval transparisteel table, having a discussion, she had the suspicion involved her, although she hadn't received an invitation.

"Senator, come in you will. Much to discuss, we have," the smallest of the three, albeit the oldest, invited her, motioning with his claw toward one of the empty seats next to Obi-Wan. Padme, however, chose to sit on the opposite side of the table, closer to Bail.

"We were discussing," began the other senator, "where the best place to dock would be. There are…important matters I must attend to. I need to return to Coruscant to swear my allegiance."

"Rumors are spreading," Obi-Wan interjected, addressing Padme, "that Palpatine is planning on eliminating the Senate."

"Eliminating the Senate!" Padme blurted out in alarm.

"War is spreading and Palpatine is to name himself Commander-in-Chief. At that point, he will no longer need senate approval for any decision, and therefore, a senate will not be needed," Bail explained unnecessarily.

"You're talking about a monarchy," the young woman uttered in disbelief. A Republic without any civilian authority, whatsoever? It had been unheard of since before the Sith Wars!

"Another reason to move quickly, it is." Yoda's words and grin were directed at Padme as well, and they both made her uncomfortable. It was clear, what he was talking about.

"I've been thinking," she began slowly, feeling her cheeks redden, "that my allegiance still lies with the Republic, and I will do whatever I need to do in order to preserve it."

That was the best she could do, under the circumstances. Obi-Wan Kenobi was just lucky he wasn't smiling smugly at the moment. There was no telling what she would do if he had been.

"Have we decided where, yet?" the Alderaanian leader prompted, returning the conversation to its previous subject.

"How about Tatooine," Obi-Wan suggested, "it's out of the way…"

"No!" Padme rejected strongly, shocking all those present. Kenobi _would _be the one to suggest that sand-trap as the place where his children would be born, Padme thought disgustedly.

"Then where would you suggest, Senator?" Bail asked politely, taking some of the edge of Padme's foul mood.

"I'm not sure," she answered quietly. She honestly had no idea. "Just not Tatooine…for obvious reasons," she added with a quick glare at the only Jedi with a beard that needed trimming.

Silence reigned for several moments as each were lost in thought, until Senator Organa made another suggestion.

"I suppose we could hide you both on Alderaan. Breha and I own a private cabin up in the mountains, just a few kilometers from Aldara. It's hidden amongst the trees. Only my closest staff know of its existence. It's very quaint, peaceful, quiet."

Great, thought Padme. Her choices had gone from a possible one-room shack in blistering heat and scorching sand to a possible one-room shack in numbing cold and biting wind and snow.

She was tired of her own complaints, however, and forced a sweet smile upon her face.

"That's fine, Bail. Thank you for the offer."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 **

Padme said goodbye to Senator Organa at his ship. He didn't have the time to even visit his wife, Breha. And now, it seemed, time was all Padme had. Especially at this particular moment. She was standing just inside the receiving platform of the Aldara Docking Station waiting while Obi-Wan bid farewell to the only other remaining Jedi in the Galaxy; Master Yoda. Apparently, the wisest of the Order felt it necessary to go into hiding, to preserve all of his knowledge for future Jedi. He would make his re-appearance when necessary. In other words, after Padme gave birth.

Once the _Sundered Heart_ had lifted off, Obi-Wan joined Padme in the station, and together they walked silently through the platform. Padme worried they would be making a spectacle - visitors on-planet and not one piece of luggage between them, but nobody seemed to care. And nobody seemed to notice Padme was walking with a Jedi Master, either. Obi-Wan had changed on board to some of the ship staff's clothing and now he looked...average - something which bothered Padme for some reason.

When they had exited the building and faced Caamasi Street, Padme recognized Breha, Bail's wife. She rushed to the planet leader and greeted the older woman with a kiss to her cheek. It was nice to see a friendly face.

"Padme, it is good to see you. You, as well, Master Kenobi."

Breha was a handsome woman, born into the Royal House of Antilles. She was the ruler of Alderaan who had prevented a civil war by marrying into the Organa family, silencing those who had been fighting for years with the Antilles family over who was the rightful successor to the throne. Padme admired Breha for that reason, although she wasn't sure she could do the same.

She scoffed at the irony of that thought. She could have a man's children whom she did not love, but she couldn't marry him for the same reason? How absurd!

"Come." The Alderaanian leader took Padme by the elbow and ushered her to a private speeder. Obi-Wan followed.

Padme had been to Alderaan before to participate in a Galactic Conference, and had thought it was a beautiful planet. Not as beautiful as Naboo, of course, but the snow-covered mountains were majestic and peaceful to look at. She shivered at the thought of having to live amongst them, however.

At Breha's request, the driver carried his passengers past the Aldara Palace and began its ascent up into the mountains. The path which they followed was lined with spruce and pine that towered above them, and soon the city was out of sight. Padme kept her eyes focused ahead, not sure of what she would find. Would the 'cabin' Bail mentioned be as rustic a he had made it sound? In her earlier bad mood, she hated to admit that she had thought the worst, envisioning having to share one or two rooms with Obi-Wan for the duration of this little experiement. But now that she was in her right state of mind, she was sure the Organas would never vacation in such an inconvenient establishment.

And for the first time in many days, Padme discovered, she was correct. Just ahead was a subtantial dome-shaped, Alderaanian style home, surrounded by a stone patio. The outer walls of the structure looked like they were made entirely of transparisteel, so as to not interfere with the fantastic views of the mountains from any prospect. Padme couldn't wait to see the inside.

Again, she was not disappointed. The sliding doors opened up to a grand common area, complete with rich rugs and a stone fireplace, which covered most of one wall. To the right of the common room was an eating nook, and just to the left of that was the kitchen.

"Bail and I made sure the kitchen was completely stocked, but if there's anything you need, just contact us. I left our emergency code on the comm system, over there," Breha pointed to an open area just behind the common room, where there was a double desk topped by an updated comm system.

"This way, there's a library with enough datatexts to fill your time - unless you read like Bail does. That man devours them!"

Padme followed Breha toward the library, but was distracted by the two things behind the office area, just beyond two more clear, sliding doors. One looked like a closet, and the other, a bathing tub.

"Oh, just wait until you try that out," Breha exclaimed, catching up with the Senator. "It's called a hot tub. Bail got it for me a couple of years ago on our anniversary. It feels wonderful."

"What's that?" Padme asked, pointing to the closet-like structure on the opposite side of the space.

"That's called a sauna, dear. Very relaxing. I highly recommend it. Now - for the most important part." The Queen smiled sweetly and ushered her guests down a short hall, stopping in front of three separate doors. She activated one of them with a touch of her hand and it slid open easily. "This is one bedroom. It is smaller than the other, but the view is marvelous."

Padme stuck her head in through the doorway and agreed wholeheartedly. The house was built right at the base of the mountain, which towered above the home.

"The other," Breha continued, escorting her company across to the opposite door, "is a much bigger room, with a bigger bed. It's where Bail and I sleep when we visit, so you may prefer..."

Padme didn't allow the older woman the chance to continue. She had already made up her mind. "I'll take the one in the back with the view. Obi-Wan, you can have the bigger room."

"As you wish," the Jedi replied. It was the first thing he had said to her since they had landed on Alderaan, but at least he wasn't arguing with her.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The house was quiet. Following Breha's departure, Padme had retired to the bedroom she had chosen and had stayed there. That was two hours ago. During that time, Obi-Wan decided to check out the supplies in the kitchen and see if he could whip them both up something to eat. He didn't know about Padme, but he was starved. Maybe food would lure her out of her room.

After a thorough inspection of the cold storage and pantry, Obi-Wan prepared a simple fare, he thought Padme might enjoy, although he wasn't sure. It seemed she was very disagreeable these days. He couldn't blame her. She had been through a lot, and he had shocked her with Yoda's prophecy. It had all made sense at the time, but looking back, Obi-Wan wasn't sure this was such a good idea. Surely, there was a better way.

He didn't often disagree with Master Yoda, but perhaps the wizened Jedi had been mistaken. Obi-Wan had a peculiar feeling about all of this. How could he and Padme conceive and have a child when they couldn't stand being in the same room together? Well, at least she couldn't stand it. He had never thought ill of Padme since he had known her. Although their relationship had been established on a professional level while she reigned as Naboo's queen fourteen years ago, since then, they had become friends. He had watched her grow into a successful and serious young woman who cared for others and sacrificed her time and herself for the good of the Republic. She would not hesitate to give her life for a just cause.

Just as she was doing now.

As the Jedi prepared the table, he decided this might be possible after all. Based on their similar devotions, they should be able to pull this off. It might be awkward at times, but they were both consenting adults, weren't they?

Obi-Wan set the two dishes on the table and surveyed his creation, satisfied he had done the best he could do. He was about to invite Padme out, when he heard the woosh of her door, and saw the young woman emerge from her asylum.

"What's that smell?" she mumbled, walking into the common room.

Her statement worried him. Had his misstepped again? Did she not enjoy tezirett? Was she allergic to lanta? He didn't think so. It was a popular dish, served all across the Galaxy. While trying to decide what to make, it seemed the safest choice.

"It's smells wonderful. I'm famished!"

Obi-Wan released a sigh and pulled out a chair for her. "Nothing too fancy. Just ahrisa with some Haroun bread and lanta."

As soon as he had sat himself down, Padme began to consume her meal. He watched for just a moment, enjoying seeing her eat.

"Obi-Wan.." she said between bites. "This is good. I'm surprised!"

"That I can cook? You shouldn't be," he answered. "Who do you think made all the meals for Qui-Gon and myself all those years? I'm a self-taught chef," he added with a smile. "It was the one thing I could do, which Qui-Gon could not, and therefore, couldn't criticize me about."

_Why in the name of the Sith had he said that?_

His unexpected statement caused Padme to look up from her plate with concern and lay down her utensil. "Was he hard on you? Is that why...why you were so tough on Anakin?"

Here it comes. He knew it was just a meaning of time before it all hit the turbine. They might as well have it out now. "Yes. He was strict. He expected a lot out of me, and at times was unforgiving. But I loved him, and I would have never...never," he enunciated, "done anything to hurt him - physically or emotionally."

Obi-Wan watched the senator's face, hoping she had understood his meaning. Whether or not he had been hard on Anakin, Obi-Wan had not deserved betrayal. Obi-Wan, however, had always believed the opposite had been the truth. He had always felt Anakin's turn to the Dark Side had been because his Master had been too lenient. How many other Masters would turn their backs when their Padawans had fallen in love with a woman, and then ran off to secretly get married?

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply anything. I've done a lot of thinking the last few days," Padme explained, toying with her food, her eyes cast down. "Anakin's turn was nobody's fault but his own. I was hurt by it, as I'm sure you were, and I didn't know what to do with that. I blamed you, I blamed Yoda, I blame myself. I'm afraid I acted horribly to you because I felt so guilty."

"I see," Obi-Wan stated simply. He was too stunned to say more. Somewhere in that bedroom back there was the Padme who had flown to Alderaan with him. Sitting in front of him was the old Padme he had always known, the one he trusted and liked. "So, are you enjoying your meal?" he stammered, desperate to change the subject.

Padme took a big bite of the ahrisa and then hissed, reaching for her glass of water. "It's a bit spicy," she exclaimed after taking a gulp to try and cool her tongue.

"Sorry. That's the way I learned how to make it. Next time, I'll leave out the driss pod."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Obi-Wan wasn't expecting the camaraderie, which existed as he and Padme cleaned the dishes. It was pleasant, comfortable, and appreciated; something he was surprised to discover he had missed. He and Anakin had begun drifting apart shortly after his capture on Geonosis. Obi-Wan was never sure exactly what had happened to cause the rift, other than the young man's dogged pursuit of perfection, followed by Obi-Wan's constant reminders of how a Jedi should be a humble servant of the people.

The realization was that he had been lonely, and he was enjoying Padme's company. Another benefit to their arrangement.

He washed while she dried, and so far, they hadn't broken one of the Organa's dishes.

"We'll take turns at cooking," Padme informed him while putting away the glasses. "I know my way around the kitchen as well."

Obi-Wan watched her. He hadn't noticed until now how thin she had gotten. He supposed Anakin's downfall may have affected her in other ways he'd never thought about. He was determined to take care of that as well. She needed to be in the best of health if she was going to...Obi-Wan stopped the thought. He wasn't quite ready to think about why they were here, although they were going to have to start thinking about it soon. Until that time, he was going to make sure she took good care of herself. "You don't have to. It's my pleasure."

"I insist." Padme stacked the final dish in the cabinet just as the door chime sounded.

Obi-Wan answered its call, and was greeted warmly by the Queen, whose arms were full of boxes. He quickly took the parcels from her and placed them on the table.

"I'm sorry to be back so soon, but it occurred to me the two of you were in need of a few things." While she spoke, Breha opened the lid on one of the containers and began to pull out a variety of clothing items. Obi-Wan distinguished trousers, sweaters, something lined with some type of animal fur, and boots also lined with fur. "I went through Bail and I's wardrobes and gathered a few things for you both. Padme," Breha turned to the young woman and held up a fuzzy tunic, which looked very cozy to him. "This should fit for now, but in the future, your things will probably need some altering to accommodate the baby," the older woman bluntly stated, wiping the smile off Padme's face.

Obi-Wan picked up a pair of trousers he assumed were for him, and held them up to his body. They were at least four inches too long. Maybe he could alter them with his lightsaber, he thought.

"Don't worry Master Kenobi," Breha informed him as she opened another box. "I shall send a droid up for the required tailoring."

Obi-Wan continued to pick through the pile as the women began folding the clothing already on the table. "You shouldn't have gone to so much trouble," he said, comparing his shoe size to the fur-lined boots she had brought.

"Nonsense. You can't stay up here wearing what you have on. You'll freeze to death, especially after the winter storms arrive."

Padme glanced out the window to the snow, which covered everything in sight. It was hard to believe this was spring in the Aldara Mountains. She couldn't imagine what the winter was going to be like, and shivered at the thought.

Obi-Wan had finished his search through the pile of clothing and sheepishly looked up at Breha, his face beginning to burn. "Uhm, pardon me, but no smallclothes?"

"Just for Padme," the royal leader informed him pulling a wrapped pouch from one box and handing it to the Senator.

"What am I..." Wait, he didn't understand.

"For sperm count, of course. You can't have a good count, Master Kenobi, when your testes are tucked up against you. Your body heat will..." The Queen stopped speaking abruptly when she noticed how uncomfortable her two guests had gotten. Her face split into a large grin. It was the first time she had ever seen a Jedi Master blush, and Senator Amidala looked completely mortified. She put down the trousers she was folding and reached out to take their hands. "Let's go into the common room. We need to have a talk."

Once they were settled, Breha began. The topic was a serious one, considering the circumstances and the timeframe, and she decided the best approach was straightforward, regardless of how crude she may sound.

"Padme, I brought something with me I need to go over with you. It's a fertility chart."

Once again, the Queen noted the younger woman's face turn a rosy pink. However, the information seemed to pique Obi-Wan's interest. She wasn't surprised. Through her experience, she had discovered most Jedi were hands-on learners.

Breha pulled out a rolled up document from a pouch hanging from her shoulder and spread it out on the table between the sofas in the common room. It was obviously a line graph with dates and numbers handwritten across its width.

"This is a copy of the graph my doctor gave me a few years back. I'm not sure if the two of you will need it, but under the circumstances, it may come in handy. Padme, every morning you will need to take your temperature right after you wake up. Don't do anything before that. No eating, drinking, exercising, or having intercourse. Nothing. Take your temperature and record it on the chart. After a month, you should notice a pattern. Jot down your menstrual cycle as well. A woman's body temperature will fluctuate in regards to her ovulation cycle - the time she is fertile. Approximately 14 days after the beginning of a regular 28-day cycle, your basal body temperature will increase. That means, you've ovulated and are prime for conception. Immediately, and for the next week, it is vital the two of you procreate. Like I said, you may not need it, but just in case, here it is."

"What is the normal temperature increase during that time?" Obi-Wan asked.

Breha grinned. The man was on the edge of his seat, wanting details. Padme, on the other hand, had sunk into the sofa, and was looking like she wanted to disappear.

"Normal temperature fluctuations will be anywhere from one to three degrees. Even the slightest change needs to be documented," Breha explained.

"Padme." Obi-Wan reached out and touched the Senator on her knee, "Do you have any concerns or questions?"

Immediately following his touch, unexpectedly, the young woman burst into tears and fled from the room. Breha looked to Obi-Wan for guidance, but when she saw he made no move to follow, she decided she must.

,


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 **

Breha gently rapped on the door where Padme had escaped to, and was thankful the destraught young woman bid her enter. Bail had mentioned to Breha on the comm right before he entered hyperspace that Padme was showing signs of going through the grieving process. It made sense to Breha. Padme's husband Anakin - having transformed into Darth Vader, was essentially as good as dead. According to Bail, on the trip to Alderaan, Padme showed signs of having entered the process stages of anger. She was definitely now in the stage of depression, as evidenced by her current weeping.

Breha joined Padme on the edge of the bed.

"I was planning on having children with him," the senator began voluntarily, sniffling quietly. "We were going to be a family. At least, I would've had someone to keep me company. Anakin was gone so much, I thought it would be a comfort. He never did agree, though. He thought children would be too much of a distraction in his pursuits of becoming the 'most powerful Jedi.'" The last words were spoken with a sneer, followed by a chuckle. "I should've known better. I've been such a fool!"

"Don't feel bad, dear," the older woman consoled, patting Padme's hands which were clasped on the young woman's lap. "You were in love, and wanting to have a baby is a natural step for a woman. The good news is, you are going to have one. Perhaps not the way you had dreamed, but it will be yours."

"Uh, huh." The senator looked up then with red-rimmed eyes and a cynical grin. "Until they turn him into a Jedi. Her, him, doesn't matter. He'll be taken away from me."

"Not necessarily, Padme. Things aren't like they used to be, and once you've completed this task, you're going to be needed. Bail informs me there are a few Senators who are trying to organize a rebellion. They're going to need your help. So, not only does the galaxy need you to secure the future of the Jedi, they need your leadership as well. Keep that in mind, Padme."

The young woman was silent for a few moments, apparently allowing everything Breha had said to sink in. The older woman knew that beneath this grief, Padme was a strong and compassionate woman. She was going to come out of this just fine. Breha just knew it.

"Thank you," the young woman finally said with a weak smile. "I'll be okay. I've just felt a little...overwhelmed lately."

"Understandable, but there's someone out there," Breha made a gesture back toward the common room, "who understands a lot of what you're going through, and even though he doesn't show it, he's grieving too. You know," Breha continued, trying to ease Padme's suffering a bit more. Perhaps, sharing her own past would help. "My marriage to Bail was arranged. I had only met him once before. I didn't love him, barely knew him, but I thought he was handsome. Our first night together was...awkward, but Bail is a good man. He was very considerate and attentive to my needs. A real gentleman." Breha smiled warmly at the memory. She might not have loved him then, but she was so very much in love with now. "There's another gentleman here. He's pretty handsome too."

The younger woman smiled at Breha's words. She couldn't argue with that.

"Maybe," Breha concluded, "making a baby with Obi-Wan won't be so bad after all? Who knows? You might enjoy it."

* * *

Bail's wife had left with just a nod and a smile, but Padme had yet to come out of her room. The sky outside was darkening and soon it would be time to retire for the night, although he was not the least bit sleepy. He was tired. Damn tired. In his mind and his heart.

This mission, if he could call it that, was the one thing that was giving him hope for the future, but what good was hope when it brought so much pain to someone he cared about? He did care about Padme and had promised Bail he would take good care of her as well.

He had failed so far. It was time to change that.

Obi-Wan knocked on Padme's door, and waited for a reply. When it didn't come, he almost turned to walk away, but was surprised by her door suddenly sliding open and the young woman throwing herself into his arms. She was sobbing again, and all he could think of to do was hold her and let her cry.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Something had woken Padme up. She lay still in her bed staring up at the domed stucco ceiling trying to figure out what it was, but until she exhaled a sigh, did she realize how cold it was in the room. Her breath escaped her mouth in a fog and she shivered beneath the heavy blankets on her bed.

Placing her bare feet on the wooden floor shot a spike of cold through her body and she trotted into the refresher, which was even worse on her feet than the bedroom floor. Quickly she made use of the room, glancing at the graph displayed upon the wall.

Nine days. It had been nine days since she had begun taking her temperature and placing it on the chart. Nine days of slightly below average readings; ranging anywhere from 97.1 to 97.9. Nothing out of the ordinary, and nothing as high as Breha said it would be when she was fertile.

Good. She still had time.

Padme guessed however, that her body temperature right now was more than likely closer to the freezing mark. The house was utterly frigid!

She ran back into her room and opened the armoire, in search of the heavy, fur-lined boots Breha had brought. Pulling those on, and wrapping the blanket around her from the bed, she decided to venture into the common room and check on the environmental controls.

When she got there, Padme discovered Obi-Wan had already beaten her to it, although he hadn't been wise enough to protect himself from the cold. He stood in front of the thermostat, bare-chested and bare-footed, wearing only some of Bail's flannel sleep pants.

"Blast!" he exclaimed when a spark emitted from the controls.

"That doesn't look good," Padme noted upon her arrival. She spoke softly not to startle him, but then remembered – it wasn't easy to scare a Jedi.

"Oh, hello there," Obi-Wan smiled, "I'm afraid I've killed it."

"Is it beyond repair?" she asked, taking a glance at the charred remains of the thermostat.

Obi-Wan scratched his beard and chuckled, "It might not have been, but it definitely is now that I've gotten to it. Stand back."

Accompanying the command was a gesture toward his bedroom, and out flew his weapon, which landed flatly against his palm. The blue of his lightsaber lit up the darkened space.

He wouldn't.

"Wait, I'm sure Breha can send a droid or something…"

Obi-Wan looked at her curiously and then chuckled again. "It's for firewood. I'll be right back."

After dressing more appropriately, Obi-Wan braved the bitter cold, and within minutes, stomped back into the house, his arms full of freshly cut logs. The lightsaber was used one more time, and soon he had built a roaring fire in the common room. They sat together on the sofa in front of the hearth enjoying its warmth.

"What did you think I was going to do earlier? Slice the thermostat out of the wall?" he joked with the young woman.

Padme snickered, tucking her feet beneath her. "I wasn't sure. The look on your face was…determined."

"I'm afraid I'm no mechanic," Obi-Wan declared, suddenly looking wistful. "Now when it came to fixing things, Anakin was…"

The Jedi Master stopped his story abruptly, turning his concerned gaze toward Padme. "I'm sorry."

The senator was momentarily confused, but then understood. Not only handsome, but considerate as well. She needed to keep that in mind. For the future.

"Oh no. Don't worry about it. It's okay. Really, it is. I can think about him now, and not just the bad parts. There was good too, and I don't mind talking about him. Go on," she encouraged.

"Very well," Obi-Wan agreed, sinking into the plush sofa and noticing Padme follow his lead. "We were stuck in the middle of nowhere, and I mean nowhere. It was on Rinn. Familiar with it?" he asked with a glance toward the young woman.

"Mm hm," she answered, her eyes starting to glaze over, "pretty desolate."

"Anakin had 'borrowed' this skiff from one of the forest villages to get us back to the main city, and it broke down about halfway there. Talk about mosquitos! They were as big as banthas. I thought I was going to have to get my lightsaber out to perform some rather aggressive negotiations with a few of them before Anakin had fixed the skiff, but then…" Obi-Wan paused when he felt a weight land upon his shoulder.

It was Padme's head. She was out like a glowlight.

Carefully, Obi-Wan adjusted his arm and the blanket to cover them both, and then joined her in peaceful, warm slumber.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 **

Obi-Wan was an early riser. Padme was not. She enjoyed coming awake slowly, thinking about what her day would hold, and reliving the previous day's events. Lately, her days were sort of blurring together wtihout any significant occurrences. She and Obi-Wan had settled into a comfortable daily routine.

Awaken, shower, dress, eat breakfast together accompanied by small talk of a variety of subjects, usually based on her experiences or his. They would clean up together, and then he would go his way, which was usually the comm station to check on the Holonet's latest news, and she would go to the library to find a datatext she hadn't yet read.

They would meet back in the kitchen for a light lunch, when Obi-Wan would relay the latest news from Coruscant. In the afternoons, they would play a game together, either sabacc or demolition. Padme won a hand of sabacc sometimes, but she was never sure if Obi-Wan had allowed it, or she had actually earned it. When she asked, he would just grin and shuffle the deck.

Evening meals were made together and the conversation often turned to Anakin. Padme was finding it easier to talk about him as time passed, and she appreciated the fact Obi-Wan was a good listener. He understood and was sympathetic, which brought about another painful realization: She should've trusted him and confided in him long before she had. Maybe...just maybe things would've turned out differently.

Padme had grown accustomed to her new life more quickly than she would've believed. It wasn't as bad as she initially thought it was going to be, although she knew in the back of her mind, one day - everything would change.

The young woman sat in the refresher early that morning staring at the temperature gauge in her hand. For some reason, she had gotten up early - almost like her body was telling her something was happening. And indeed it had. Or it was about to.

98.8. Two weeks and two days into their commission. And now she was faced with something she had been both dreading and anticipating.

With a tremor in her fingers, Padme set the gauge on the counter and finished her morning routine, choosing to allow her long hair to hang loose. She picked out the fuzzy tunic Obi-Wan seemed to like, and some warm leggings, and went to find him.

The library was empty, as was the comm station. It was too early for breakfast. In fact, for Padme, it was too early for anything. She checked his bedroom just in case, and wasn't surprised to find it empty, the bed neatly made, not a single thing out of place.

There was only one area he could be she hadn't checked.

Padme looked through the transparisteel outside the patio which stored the tub and sauna and saw nothing but snow and mountains. She then walked through the common room and peered through the transparisteel at the front of the house.

Only one word could adequately describe what she saw, and it was - mesmerizing. Padme hid behind the non-transparent part of the door so he could not see her, not that she didn't wish to interrupt him, but that she was fascinated. She had been married to a Jedi for two years, and never had she seen anything like this.

Obi-Wan was on the front portico. Most of the previous evening's snowfall had been cleared away, allowing him room to perform the routine Padme hadn't been aware of until now. Again, his chest was bared to the elements, as were his feet. The only thing he wore was the sleep pants he preferred.

He began with a kneeling position, eyes closed, facing the eastern skies as the sun rose and shined upon him, setting his copper hair aglow. After a few moments, he rose slowly, stretching his body to his full height. The Jedi then began a series of moves, which to Padme, looked like he was performing hand-to-hand combat, although there was no opponent. Not a visible one, anyway.

The routine continued and escalated before it changed, ending with a series of leg sweeps, kicks, jumps, and backflips that would not be humanly possible to anyone other than a Jedi.

Following the set obviously designed to work his agility, Obi-Wan added his lightsaber. It's blue blaze became a blur as did his body when the exercise sped up. Padme was barely able to follow him as Obi-Wan's blade swept to and fro, in and out, arced high and low, sometimes appearing as if were just a continuous circle about his head. She closed her eyes for a few seconds to adjust her equilibrium, but opened them just as quickly. She didn't want to miss anything.

The exercise was slowing now, his body shimmering with a fine sheen of sweat, the sides of his hair dampened with exertion, his chest heaving. He then began gathering his clothing, picked up his boots, and was going to come in soon. Padme didn't want to be caught spying on him, but she couldn't move.

Obi-Wan Kenobi was a virile representation of an adult Jedi Master, and he was about to have sex with her.

Padme's mouth suddenly went dry, and the tremor was back - only this time it was creeping up her spine. Obi-Wan finally saw her standing there gawking at him and wiped his forehead with a towel. Then he smiled and her heart fluttered.

Must be due to anxiety over what was going to happen, she decided.

"Good morning," he said as the door opened. "How long have you been up?"

Padme ignored the question. "What was that you were doing?"

Copper eyebrows shot up. "That? Just my morning katas," he said so nonchalantly, Padme almost laughed. What he had done was remarkable, but she wasn't about to say that outloud.

"Why are you up so early? Is everything okay?"

This was it. She couldn't avoid it any longer. "It's time," she said simply.

His brows furrowed and Padme prayed he would understand. She wasn't sure she could explain any further. Please, let him understand.

"Oh," he said with dawning clarity. "Oh," he repeated more solemnly. "Uhm...let me shower, and I'll, uh, meet you in your bedroom. Or mine. Would you prefer mine? Yours is fine, or maybe the sofa?"

No, not the sofa," he argued with himself. "Too many windows. Your bedroom is fine. If that's okay with you."

A smile slowly crept over Padme's face. He was nervous too. Possibly just as much as she was. Maybe Breha was right. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 **

When he was passed over by Qui-Gon, and thought he had missed his chance at becoming a Jedi Padawan, Obi-Wan had thrown up. The night before his trials to become a Knight, he had diarrhea.

Over the years, through experience and training, Obi-Wan had learned to control his bodily functions in any given situation. He didn't feel either one of those problems coming on now, but his digestive system was definitely not stable.

Maybe it was because he hadn't eaten his morning meal yet.

Obi-Wan finished drying his body and glanced in the mirror. "You wish that were true," he said to his own reflection. He knew the reason why his insides were complaining. His nerves were getting to him. Padme was a beautiful woman and he was a virgin. Not only was he expected to have intercourse with her, he was to sire the savior of the Republic, the one who would bring about the end to the Darkness - for good.

Obi-Wan could feel the pressure building, almost nearly as palpable as when Anakin was given to him to be his Padawan. He had stood with false confidence in front of Yoda that day, claiming he could train the boy, that he had to train him because he had promised his Master, but the truth was, inside, he had been a quivering jumble of nerves.

Just like now.

"Breathe, Kenobi," he reminded himself. "Just breathe."

Once Obi-Wan felt settled enough, the towel he had dried with was wrapped around his waist, and he slowly made his way to Padme's room. Out of habit, he knocked. A small voice bid him enter. Padme was already in bed, covers pulled up to her neck, shades drawn on the floor-to-ceiling windows, darkening the room considerably.

Their eyes met for a second, both seeking reassurance before Padme removed the blankets, exposing her nude body. It was Padme who removed Obi-Wan's towel before taking him in her hand and coaxing his erection to life, and it was Padme who pulled him down to join her on the bed.

Her skin was silky and her hair smelled of sunnydew. She had gained some weight during their stay, and Obi-Wan enjoyed running his callused hands over her curves, from her hip to her firm breasts. He nipped her earlobe and stroked her neck with his lips and beard, but when he sought out her mouth, Obi-Wan found a hand there instead.

"No," she said, with just a touch of sadness in her voice.

Obi-Wan didn't ask why she didn't want to kiss him. There could be many reasons. He would think about them later. Right now, he had a duty to perform.

* * *

This was not Anakin. She couldn't imagine it was, although the thought had crossed her mind. What if she kept her eyes closed and pretended. It would be easier. Anakin had been her first and only lover. She hadn't told Obi-Wan that. She didn't think it was his business, but now, she was wishing she had. No doubt, he was a Master in the art of intercourse as well as most other things, probably having innumerable lovers all over the Galaxy. If she had told him of her inexperience, maybe he would understand better how she felt - why she couldn't accept his kiss. It was too personal, too intimate. She wasn't ready for that with Obi-Wan, and she wasn't sure when or if she ever would be.

So, she kept her eyes open. It seemed the fair thing to do. She had agreed to this; the least she could be was an active participant, or at least pretend to be.

His touch was firm but tender, and he knew how and where to touch her, which confirmed her earlier belief. He was experienced. She hadn't asked. She didn't want to know.

But she couldn't help compare him to Anakin. Where her husband had been timid, Obi-Wan was bold. Where Anakin had been selfish, Obi-Wan was generous. And where Anakin had been sufficient, Obi-Wan was substantial.

More than substantial. Padme gasped when his erection entered her. She felt stretched; filled to capacity. And when he began thrusting, she felt impaled.

It was a wonderful feeling.

She never took her eyes off him as he moved. She wanted to be anchored in the present, in this reality - not to be living and dreaming of the past, wishing, and hoping things had been different. It was time to put the past behind her and look forward to the future.

The future with a child of her own. She was going to have a child!

The thought motivated Padme to help Obi-Wan achieve orgasm a bit faster, and she aided the process with her hands. Obi-Wan gasped when her nails gently raked over his sac, and in just a few more thrusts he shuddered and stilled. Padme could feel him pulsating inside of her and knew the job had been done.

And if they were lucky, it would only take this one time.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Negative.

Padme tossed the pregnancy test stick into the disposal with a frustrated hand.

That was number six. Her supply of ten was going to run out soon. She had told Breha, she didn't think she was going to need more than that, since she was only testing after the third day of her ovulation cycle.

As soon as her basal temperature had risen, she and Obi-Wan would meet and have intercourse several times throughout the day for three days. On the fourth day, she would test her urine.

The apothecary in Aldara promised she was using the most advanced conception evaluator in the galaxy; guaranteed to be 100% accurate only 12 hours following intercourse.

Just to be safe she waited 24. And still, had not had any luck.

She had read every datatext in the library about fertility and infertility, even some Holonet texts, though she considered them far less reliable.

They had tried a variety of recommended positions, pillows, and home remedies such as drinking warm bantha milk and honey the night before.

And nothing had worked.

Perhaps it was time to take Breha's next suggestion, and that would be to speak with a fertility counselor. Someone the Queen trusted. They wouldn't even have to leave the house. Breha would send her to them.

Which she did, the following day.

Obi-Wan answered the door chime and allowed a voluptuous young woman into the cabin. She had the exotic features of most Alderaanians – olive skin, almond-shaped eyes, and a thick, dark mane. She was tall, well built, and dressed to show off her features. Her teeth were straight and white, her lips pouty and deep red, and her eyes dark and mysterious.

When she spoke, her voice oozed out like the honey Padme had been pouring into her bantha milk.

"It's so nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Naberrie," she purred, and for the first time since she had met him, Padme watched as Obi-Wan turned on his charm, full volume. "My name is Counselor Dagan. Miss Tosha Dagan," she added with a smile.

"Please, call me Ben," Obi-Wan drawled, taking the counselor's hand in both of his in way of a rather informal greeting. "I'm so pleased to meet you." His smile was wide and his eyes were glittering. Padme had trouble stopping hers from rolling skyward.

"Let's have a seat in the common room, and discuss what is troubling you two," Miss Dagan prompted, wasting little time.

Obi-Wan ushered the handsome woman in, allowing Padme to take up the rear. The senator plopped herself down upon the sofa next to Obi-Wan, who sat on its edge in rapt attention, his smiles continuous.

"Now, that we're settled, Breha tells me there has been some difficulties in the fertility department."

"Yes," Obi-Wan agreed, "we've been trying for six months, and nothing has happened. Should we be tested?"

"Possibly," the counselor said, "But first let me ask you some questions. First you, Padme. That's a beautiful name, by the way," the woman cooed.

By this time, Padme had arranged one leg beneath her in order to prop her head upon her hand – the most disinterested posture she could imagine. "Thanks," she mumbled.

"Are you having regular menstrual cycles?"

"Yes." Another mumble.

"Are you taking daily temperature measurements and charting your ovulation?"

"Yes." And yet another.

"Are either of you consuming any native nuts, berries, wildflowers, mushrooms, or rodents?"

To answer that question, Obi-Wan turned to look at Padme, who simply shook her head. "No, we aren't," he answered for her.

"Are either of you aware of any physical detriments, illnesses, or viruses which could impact your ability to be fertile?"

"No," they both answered in unison.

"Tell me about your relationship," Miss Dagan asked, taking her stylus to her datatext to take notes, Padme supposed.

"Uhm," Padme began, only to be interrupted by Obi-Wan.

"That can wait, Miss Dagan. Tell us about you." Another smile, a crossing of his legs. He was actually flirting!

"We don't have time to get into that, Ben," the counselor exclaimed with a caress to Obi-Wan's knee.

"Well then, what exactly do you wish to know?" Obi-Wan responded.

"Do you get along?"

"Yes," Padme answered this time. Bluntly.

"Do you spend quality time together?"

"Yes," Padme answered again, just as pointedly.

"Do you enjoy having sex with each other?"

"Wait," Obi-Wan interrupted once more. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Mr. Naberrie," the counselor replied, laying down her stylus, "there are certain conditions which render the human female incapable of conception. Mental strain can affect the lubrication of the cervix, which ultimately interferes with ovulation cycle. Even though Padme is tracking her temperature, she may, in fact, be missing her point of conception. "

"Which means…." Obi-Wan asked leadingly.

"That treatment is simple. If the two of you are performing the act of intercourse merely for the business of conceiving instead of purely for the joy of it, it is likely you are putting an unnecessary burden upon yourselves and will not be successful. You need to enjoy each other's bodies, experience pleasure for what it was meant to be. Enjoy sex and enjoy it often. Once you do, I'm sure that nature will take its course. If not, then we can look into some more aggressive measures, such as fertility testing and even treatments. Let's try this first, all right?"

"Very well," Obi-Wan agreed, turning to look at Padme for the first time since the counselor's arrival. "What do you think, Padme?"

She hadn't meant for her stare to turn into a glare, though Padme had a feeling it had. She wasn't jealous. She couldn't be. But in case she was, she sure as hell couldn't let Obi-Wan see that. He might get the wrong idea.

"Hmph," Padme replied, earning an odd look from both of them after she chuckled.

If Master Yoda were here, that's exactly what he would say, Padme thought.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"This is ridiculous!" Padme threw herself upon her bed, shouting out her frustration. It was time for midday meal, but she didn't feel like cooking. Obi-Wan could fend for himself. She was going to stay in her room the rest of the day and essentially...pout.

Not only had she allowed herself to be persuaded to have sex with Obi-Wan Kenobi for the good of the galaxy, now she couldn't get pregnant unless they enjoyed it?

"Absolutely ridiculous," she grumbled.

Visions of that counseling vixen swam in and out of Padme's mind accompanied by Obi-Wan's smiles, and the young woman could feel her body temperature growing hot. And for once, it had nothing to do with her damn ovulation cycle.

So, that was the kind of woman Obi-Wan liked, huh? One that wore low-cut dresses that showed more skin than Padme possessed; long, curled hair, red, pouting lips, a provocative voice and seductive eyes. Fine. She could be that. If that's what it took for Obi-Wan to have a good time, then Padme was going to show him one hell of a good time.

It would only take one communication with Breha.

* * *

"Obi-Wan, I need to use the comm," Padme announced abruptly when she entered the room, knowing it was his daily scheduled time. She had never interrupted him before, but this was important.

He looked up from his reading, and for a second, the young woman was not sure he was going to give up his seat.

"I need to contact Breha," she explained, coaxing him to stand.

"Is everything all right?"

Not for long, Padme thought. "I'm fine, I just need to borrow something."

"Very well. Are you hungry?" he asked as he headed toward the kitchen.

"No, no thank you," Padme replied over her shoulder as she typed her message. She just hoped Breha had what she needed. When she was finished, she offered the comm unit back to Obi-Wan, but he declined.

"Let's go ahead and play some sabacc. You're one game ahead of me."

"But it's not time, yet," Padme answered, immediately stunned at how lame she sounded. Had they really gotten themselves into that bad of a rut? "Forget I said that. Fine. Let's play."

* * *

Her hand was the best one she had held yet, but Padme kept her composure and stared stonefaced at her opponent. If she played these cards right, she could possibly score 23 - a perfect sabacc.

But then, the door chime rang. Through the transparisteel, Padme could see it was Breha, and she folded her hand to let the woman in.

"Good afternoon, Master Kenobi," Breha called out, taking Padme by the arm.

"We'll be in my room, Obi-Wan."

He might have said something in reply, but Padme was too excited to stay and ask what it was.

"Show me," she prompted Breha, who grinned conspiratorially.

"I wore this for our tenth anniversary," the Queen explained, pulling from a bag a dark blue gown that looked as if it were held together with ribbon. "Go try it on," the older woman urged.

Padme went into the refresher, stripped out of her woolen leggings and tunic, and slipped the silky material over head. She then went back into the bedroom in order to get a better view in the full length mirror.

"You look...ravishing, my dear," Breha complimented her, rising to adjust a strap which had twisted in the back. "Although I think you may be wasting your time. One look at you in this dress, and Obi-Wan won't let you wear it for very long. He'll probably rip it off you."

Which wouldn't be difficult, Padme noted to herself. There was nothing over her shoulders, and the bodice was attached to the single piece of material down the back by three small straps. The bodice was cut low - almost to her belly, which was covered by a transparent mesh. It reached almost to the floor, but only on one side. The other was split up to her thigh. And it was tight. Extremely tight.

"With the right makeup and hairstyle, why you'll look better than a Holonet model," Breha pointed out.

Or a fertility counselor, Padme countered silently.

"Come, let's get you ready."

* * *

Following Breha's departure, Padme began to worry. She hadn't worn this much makeup since her reign as Naboo's Queen, and she was slightly uncomfortable with it. Her lips were too red for her taste, but she wasn't doing this for her taste, was she? This was all about Obi-Wan and that slut, Tosha. Why, if Padme hadn't been there, the two of them probably would've copulated right on the sofa!

Padme fluffed her hair with her fingers and took one last check in the mirror. She looked just like a...pleasure worker.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. What if Obi-Wan laughed at her? What if she was about to make a fool of herself?

Padme was just about to remove the dress and wash her face, when her sister Sola's voice sounded in her mind's ear.

_"You need to loosen up, Padme. You're much too serious, Padme. Padme, do you ever have any fun? Padme, Padme, Padme!"_

The senator closed her eyes and took a deep, cleansing breath to rid herself of her anxieties, as well as her sister's annoying advice. She then stepped out of the room.

* * *

After having put away the sabacc cards, Obi-Wan had decided to take inventory of their supplies. He started in the kitchen, making a list of things they were going to need soon. He would finish up in his refresher and then Padme's...that is, if she ever came out. Soon, he was going to have to begin dinner, and they hadn't even completed one game this afternoon. So much for the comfort of routines.

His back was turned when he heard the shuffle of small feet behind him. "Good, I was beginning to wonder. What do you feel like eating tonight? We're running low on puerco, but we can bake the dru'un this evening instead of frying it, if you'd prefer."

Obi-Wan's thoughts of food were interrupted by a rather loud noise as if someone were clearing their throat. He assumed it was Padme and turned around to make sure, almost dropping the jar of wintenberry jelly he was holding in his hand.

"I, uhm, you look...what's the occasion? You aren't cycling again already, are you?"

Obi-Wan inwardly cringed. That was not the most intelligent thing he had just said, but he was at a loss to what Padme was up to, although he had the suspicion he was going to find out very soon.

"Come with me."

Her voice even sounded different, and was that scented water she was wearing?

She led him by his hand to the sofa and literally shoved him backwards onto it, which was surprising enough, but not nearly as surprising as when she knelt in front of him, opened his lined trousers and placed her bright red lips over his growing erection.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 **

Their bodies were glued together by a combination of dried sweat and bodily fluids, but Obi-Wan could've cared less. If he had cared, he doubted he would've had the energy to do anything about it.

Besides, the refresher was too far away. He wasn't sure how they had ended up in the library, but he vaguely recalled discussing something about the comfort of the chaise lounge there. He was thankful Padme hadn't suggested the kitchen. Not that he had anything against counters or tables, but the stone kitchen floor was especially cold at night.

The sky had darkened three hours ago, which would mean it was getting close to midnight - an hour past his usual bedtime, but Obi-Wan wasn't ready for sleep. There was far too much on his mind.

Padme had fallen asleep on his chest following his third orgasm of the evening, and as impossible as it sounded, recalling the evening's events was causing his penis to twitch.

His first had occurred on the sofa about five hours earlier, when Padme had entered the room wearing that ridiculous dress. He still wasn't sure what she'd been thinking, but how could Obi-Wan tell her he preferred her in her present state?

Obi-Wan gazed down at the woman in his arms. Her hair was a mess, the cosmetics she had worn were completely gone. And she was naked. Naked and in his arms. He could think of no better state for her to be in.

The second orgasm had happened while she had straddled him in the comm unit chair. It wasn't the most comfortable of positions, but offered an angle Obi-Wan found most stimulating.

The third and final orgasm occurred in the library. Still dazed by his post-coital haze, while his erection softened inside her body, she had performed the most remarkable things to his ear, neck and chest, marking him several times. It was a first for them as were her vocalizations.

This day, Padme had whispered lustful thoughts and desires Obi-Wan had never known she had possessed, and suprisingly, his flaccid organ responded. While still inserted, he had carried her into the library where he had allowed himself to lose complete control. He had thrust into her like a wild man, satiating his own lust greedily. And if he wasn't mistaken, Padme had achieved orgasm right before he had for the final time.

Instead of leaving him to go clean up, and suggesting he sleep in his own bed, like she usually did, she had rolled over and lay her dampened head upon his chest. They were both out of breath and speechless. He could think of nothing to say, and while he struggled, her heartbeat slowed, as did her breathing, eventually into a steady rhythm of slumber.

Since that time, Obi-Wan had lay as still as possible, listening to her heart, feeling the moist heat of her breath upon his skin. He didn't wish to move, and it wasn't because he was afraid to wake her.

He was in trouble, and he knew it.

And it only got worse. The following day, Padme acted as if nothing in their relationship had changed. They both went about their normal daily routine, talking about the most mundane things, wishing there was more they could do to interfere with the Emperor's plans, when Obi-Wan decided there was something he could do. Something he must do.

But first, he had to talk to someone. And as fate would have it, Bail Organa had arrived back on Alderaan that very morning.

* * *

"Obi-Wan, it's nice to see you. Come, in, come in." Bail eagerly accepted the Jedi's visit. "I have good news. Come, sit down."

As most palaces Obi-Wan had visited in his life as a Jedi, this one was sprawling, with endless floors and pillars of marble. And as in other palaces, the furniture was more for looks than comfort.

Obi-Wan took a seat in one high-back chair, facing the senator, bringing up his left booted ankle to rest across his knee.

"There is definitely a Rebellion brewing," Bail reportedly excitedly. "Vader has already hunted down and killed a number of senators who oppose the Emperor, but it can't be stopped. Others have already contacted me."

And here he sat, Obi-Wan groused, doing his best to father a child while the galaxy needed him.

"I will continue to play the double-agent as long as I possibly can to gain information. He's formed a Loyalist Committee. I've been 'requested' to join, and I suppose I must under the circumstances to avoid suspicion – and to protect my family." Bail continued, apparently not noticing Obi-Wan hadn't said a word. "Speaking of family – how is yours coming along?"

There was jest in his tone, but Obi-Wan wasn't in the mood for jokes.

"I've made a decision," he said flatly, dropping his foot to the floor, and leaning over, his elbows laying against his thighs. "When Padme does manage to get pregnant, I will be leaving Alderaan."

His statement had confused Bail. He could tell by the look on the senator's face. "But…" Bail attempted to argue, "what if something should happen? You would leave her alone? I mean, she wouldn't be alone, she would be with my wife most of the time, but that wouldn't be the same. Are you sure?"

Yes, he was sure, although he didn't have time to answer before Bail continued.

"I mean, Breha and I both were hoping, that perhaps the child could be raised here – that the two of you would become a family, and we could watch him for you occasionally. I never thought… Do you think it's wise, Master Kenobi? Padme's been through a lot, and this news will come as a shock. Are you sure?"

Obi-Wan bounded up from his chair and began pacing, his hand clamped over his mouth, his fingers toying with his beard.

He hadn't wanted to go into details! He was just going to declare his decision and that would be the end of it. Apparently, the Organa's were more romantic than he was, however, and Bail was not about to let this go.

"I can't stay here." Obi-Wan stated bluntly, and he hoped he didn't have to explain why.

"I know you feel the need to be helping with the rebellion Obi-Wan, but there is so much that needs to be done first. In time, after we have gathered enough resources.."

"That's not it," Obi-Wan interrupted. Part of it, but not the main part, he kept to himself. "There's been a complication in our…situation."

"I'm sorry to hear that," the Alderaan Senator said upon rising to face his company. "I thought Breha had made it clear that if there was anything you needed, all you had to do was ask."

Hands steepled, eyes closed, Obi-Wan cleansed his spirit with the Force, easing some of his anxiety, and settling his stomach. If it was meant to be this way, then so be it. "I've done something I shouldn't have."

Before allowing Bail to interrupt him one more time, Obi-Wan decided to just spit it out.

"I'm afraid I've fallen in love with Padme."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

The box was empty. Padme had used every single one of them left to make sure. Now, she had them all lined up in front of the refresher sink and studied them one more time.

Positive. Positive. Positive!

It had happened, and not by following a graph, eating any particular food, or performing some crazy ancient ritual.

She was pregnant.

Just wait until Obi-Wan found out! He was going to be so excited! Obi-Wan Kenobi, a father. Unbelievable!

And she - Padme Amidala, a mother! Astounding! She had always wished it, but was starting to think it was never going to happen. This called for a celebration!

Padme rushed through her early morning ablutions in anticipation of sharing the good news. She tied her hair up, slipped into a long winter tunic, her fuzzy boots, and went to find Obi-Wan.

It was early still, so she expected to find him on the front patio, performing his daily exercises. She did locate him there, but he wasn't exercising. He was meditating; deeply. He did not move a muscle when she slid open the front door, or when her footsteps made crunching noises across the compacted snow.

At least another three centimeters had fallen during the night, most of which seemed to have landed on Obi-Wan's thighs and shoulders. He had been there a while.

"Obi-Wan," Padme prompted gently. She was too excited to wait, but her voice elicited no response.

Maybe a physical touch would bring him around.

The young woman knelt on the frozen ground and placed a warm hand upon the Jedi's chilled face. Immediately, his eyes popped open, but they were not the ones she was used to seeing. Instead of bright and cheerful, these were dull and bloodshot.

Something was wrong. She could feel it in her gut. She wasn't sure exactly what it could be, but decided maybe her news would cheer him up.

"Obi-Wan, I'm pregnant!" Padme declared giddily with a broad smile.

She was wrong.

Not the bat of an eyelid or the appearance of a dimple. "That's good to hear." His voice was flat, devoid of emotion.

Without further discussion, the man rose from his knees. "Excuse me," he said before he turned and entered the house.

It took Padme a moment to gather her wits, but she was soon hot on his heels. That was it? After all their hard work and effort?

"Wait a second!" she exclaimed as he passed through the common room, heading straight for his bedroom, and then turning to the right to enter the refresher. She followed him.

"I'm talking to you!" she insisted, trying to get his attention.

"Padme, I'm busy," he responded finally, reaching inside the cabinet and withdrawing a pair of shears, which he began using not to trim his beard, but to cut it very short.

"What are you doing?" The young woman was stunned. What would possess him to do such a thing at this moment?

"Making preparations," was Obi-Wan's reply, which made no sense to Padme.

He then picked up a set of electroblades.

"Preparations..for what?" She was starting to lose her patience. She had always hated being given the run-around. She wanted a straight answer, damnit!

"Padme, can we talk about this later?"

"No!" Padme deliberately stationed herself upon the toilet lid. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on."

"Very well," Obi-Wan answered calmly while he continued his task. Soon, his face was as smooth as when Padme had first met him on Naboo, all those years ago.

But he wasn't finished.

From inside a duffle on the floor, Obi-Wan withdrew a plasteel container and proceeded to dump its contents onto his hair. Dye? What for?

She suddenly had a bad feeling about this.

While allowing the dark coloring to do its job, Obi-Wan walked back into the bedroom, taking the duffel with him. Padme followed, planting herself on the bed this time.

He tossed the duffel onto the end of the bed and pulled out a pair of black trousers, a matching long-sleeve undershirt, and a nerf-hide vest.

"I'm going to change now," he announced. "Are you going to stay and watch?"

Padme's stubborn reply was to fold her arms and glare at him.

The winter clothing came off, but before he put the others on, Obi-Wan returned to the refresher. Padme heard water running and assumed he was washing his hair. When he came back, she realized her assumption had been correct.

He then dressed in the strange attire, slipping his feet into a pair of well-worn black leather boots, and to top it off, strapped a holster around his middle, complete with blaster and vibroblade.

When he had finisehd, Padme stared at him, her mouth agape. She was looking at a complete stranger - someone who looked more like a bounty hunter than a Jedi Master.

Apparently satisfied with his appearance, Obi-Wan sat down next to her on the bed and took her hand in his.

"I'm leaving," he said softly. "We've done what we needed to do, and now its time for me to do what I do best. I'll be going under cover to rally support for the rebellion. I've already spoken with the Organas. They've set up a room for you in the palace so you won't have to be alone. They're going to take good care of you, Padme."

A small but kind smile, a kiss to her cheek, and then he was gone.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17 **

This was no ordinary sabacc game. He wasn't playing for recreation. His opponent was a seasoned gambler; a Herglic - at least five times his size, equipped with a heavy modified DL-40 blaster: illegal in most systems.

Obi-Wan was on board the Intergalactic Gaming vessel, "The Kismet," which was traveling the Hydian Way toward a sabacc tournament on Roche. Once there, he would have to catch a transport along the Perlemian Trade Route in order to get closer to his destination; that is, if he won enough credits. To win this game, however, he was going to have to bluff or use Force persuasion. His hand was nowhere good enough. Tricky, since Obi-Wan was not too familiar with the Herglic other than their massive size and the strange "haruum" sound they made when they breathed. He wasn't sure if a mind trick was going to work, and if it didn't, it might give away the fact he was a Force-user, or even worse...a Jedi. But he didn't have a choice.

"You will not win this game. You should fold." His words were touched by the Force, which he delivered with the aid of a gesture to clear any doubt from the Herglic's mind.

The Herglic, however, was not responding. In any way. His small, beady black eyes bore into Obi-Wan, and it wasn't the first time since leaving Alderaan the Jedi wished he could carry his lightsaber.

Obi-Wan's suggestion was finally repeated with a heavily-accented combination of Herglese and Basic, but it had worked. The huge being haruumed loudly, and lumbered away, tossing his cards angrily on the table. Obi-Wan didn't pick up his winnings right away. Instead, he chose to sit back and survey the crowd. He didn't want to raise suspicion and look too greedy.

Scattered around the ship's hold, playing a variety of games on stained and rickety tables were two Basalisks, a Wookie, a few Toydarians, the Herglic he had just tricked, and a Falleen.

Obi-Wan knew Force persuasion would only work on a few of them, and so far he had been able to avoid the rest. He was a good player, but wasn't sure he was good enough.

Ben Lars, as he had come be known on board, tilted the Blue Dwarf he had ordered and emptied the glass. The Falleen had noticed the empty seat across from him and was headed his way. It was time to make himself scarce.

* * *

Voices were coming out of the south communications chamber, which housed the palace's full-body holoprojector, and Breha headed toward their source. One voice was her husband, Bail's, and the other was Senator Amidala's.

_"...Mon Mothma has showed great interest, as well as Senator Iblis..." Breha heard Bail's voice echo down the corridor, followed by Padme's. _

_"You need to contact Naboo. I believe, Queen Apailana would be willing to take the risk." _

_"A risk it would be," Bail countered. "These are dangerous times. Anyone taking a stand against the Emperor have become victims of, shall we say - most unfortunate accidents." _

_"I see," Padme replied, her voice deep and somber. "Anyone we know?" _

_"I'm afraid so."_

Breha chose to enter the room at that moment. She didn't think it was necessary for Padme to learn such grim details - not right now - when she was in her first trimester of pregnancy. Bail noticed her presence immediately, his holographic face splitting into a wide grin.

_"You are looking well - you both are. I have just a few more loose ends to tie up here, Bre, and then I'll head home." _

"That's wonderful."

Wishing to give the married couple a chance to speak privately, Padme excused herself. It had been a month since they had been together, and they obviously missed one another.

Following the young woman's departure, the Queen closed the chamber door to ensure Padme did not overhear their conversation. She then returned her focus back to her husband.

_"How is she?" _

"It's hard to explain," Breha answered. "I think she's happy inside, but on the outside, she appears downright depressed, Bail. I'm worried about her. I wish you would have been able to..." the Queen stopped. They had already been over this before, and her husband had explained he had done all he could to try and talk Obi-Wan into staying on Alderaan, but without success. The Jedi was doing what he thought best, and that was help rally support for the Rebellion against the Empire. He couldn't have known Padme was in love with him, or he wouldn't have made such a decision, would he?

"_Does she ever mention him at all?" _

"No. Not even once, which confirms my belief. If only he would've known, I don't believe he would've left. She's too stubborn. They both are."

"_I haven't heard from him since he was on Roche. I believe he's traveling with a gambling trade ship." _

"Sounds dangerous," Breha replied. She knew only the most sinister of species boarded one of the gaming ships. She hoped Master Kenobi hadn't bitten off more than he could chew.

_"You have no idea," Bail continued, "he's gone undercover as a gambler in the trade, but cannot access the Force often for fear of discovery. There are Bounty Hunters, Bre. Vader has hired them - to search out and dispose of any Force users." _

It was more dangerous than Breha had imagined. She just hoped Obi-Wan made it through alive so that he could return and witness the birth of his child - if that was his plan. But the danger was not on Obi-Wan alone. She was well aware of the difficulties and sacrifices her husband was having to make, and she smiled sweetly, her eyes clouding with tears.

"You come back home safe, Bail," she implored.

"_I will. Take care. I love you." _

"I love you too. See you soon. End transmission."

* * *

The ship Obi-Wan had been able to purchase was smaller than he was used to, making travel difficult and uncomfortable. He really missed his Jedi Starfighter, and nervously prepared for entry into the planet's atmosphere, gripping the controls for what was sure to be a bumpy ride.

From space, Ossus appeared to be a swirling mass of orange and amber clouds, even though it had not always been so. At one time, it was a beautiful planet with lush foilage and abundant waters. But then the Sith appeared, and brought along with them a chemical weapon of mass destruction which destroyed the nearby Cron Cluster, laying waste to the planet. Now all that remained on Ossus was sand, and ruins of a nearly-forgotten institution called the Jedi Academy. The first of its kind, the temple on Ossus had stored all of the Jedi's early knowledge.

Many Jedi had died during the Cron Cluster detonation, but some had survived. There were rumors, that although rogue and primitive, there were still Force sensitives inhabiting the planet. Obi-Wan needed to make sure. If there were, perhaps he could recruit them and train them.

But first, he had to get there, and just in front of him lay a massive asteroid field created when the cluster went supernova.

Obi-Wan stared out the portal at the rotating mass of rocks, which served only to remind him how much he really hated to fly.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18 **

Two dents, one large scratch, but the hull was intact, and he had landed successfully. Now, all Obi-Wan had to do was find what he had come for. Through the Force, he could sense lifeforms to the east, and began walking toward their source. Their presence was weak, but Obi-Wan wasn't exactly sure what he would find here. The Force was muddled and his readings were shifting.

There had been rumors of a sentient race on Ossus, who called themselves the Ysanna. They were the survivors of the Crone Cluster disaster, and no one knew exactly how many there were. Since its near-destruction, the planet had been largely neglected and ignored. All of the significant Jedi archives and valuables had been secured at the Temple in Coruscant, therefore, the shell of the once-thriving city held no interest to anyone, other than for its ancient architecture. Desperate times called for desperate measures, however, and Obi-Wan was depending upon the hope that not only were the Ysanna still present on Ossus, but that they were thriving.

Once Obi-Wan had passed under what once had apparently been an aquaduct, he was able to view the academy building - or what was left of it. Part of the multi-story tower still stood, with exposed stairways leading down to what his focus had been immediately drawn to. The building beneath it was constructed of recycled material, but it was a fairly stable and new construction. It gave Obi-Wan hope that his trip had not been in vain. He moved more quickly between the rubble. However, when he passed between the two large pillars serving as the building entryway, it was like stepping back into time - the worse time of his life.

Blaster marks and bodies were everywhere he could see. The sight stopped Obi-Wan in his tracks and began playing tricks with his mind. He did not know these Ysanna, but he felt their loss as keenly as he had felt all the Jedi he had known when Vader and his army had attacked the Temple on Coruscant. He could feel their passing now, as an echoing shockwave rippling through the Force. It was dizzying and nauseating. The Force was unsettled here. He could no longer be sure of what he was reading, so he decided to rely upon his senses alone.

It was then he noticed faint groans coming from the the far side of the large, corpse-cluttered room. Obi-Wan followed the sound and discovered a young man lying deathly still upon the sandy floor. His lower limbs and one arm had been amputated neatly, as only a lightsaber could do, but he was still alive.

And Obi-Wan knew him.

"Rayce?"

The Jedi Master kneeled next to the mutilated body, touching the young man's chest. This was Jocasta-Nu's apprentice, Jin-Lo Rayce. Obi-Wan had no idea the padawan had escaped Coruscant, but what was he doing here on Ossus?

"Rayce," Obi-Wan repeated, adding a surge of Force healing with his touch.

The apprentice's eyes opened, though their whites were blood red, but he didn't talk. He couldn't talk. His tongue had been severed as well.

"Sh, don't worry. It's Master Kenobi. No need to hold on any longer. I will find out what happened here. There is no death, Jin-Lo, there is only the Force. Go in peace, my brother."

Obi-Wan did what he could to aid in the young man's passing, so that when the apprentice did relinquish his hold on this world, he did so with serenity.

* * *

"I don't like that one," Breha announced, grimacing. "Xelda sounds like a hologame character." The queen continued to search through the datapad containing ancient Alderaanian baby names, her finger proudly pointing to what had to be the perfect name. "This is it! Amanaman," the older woman announced, and it was Padme's turn to sneer.

Amanaman? Was she serious?

"It means," Breha scanned the information, "full of facial hair," the queen added with a smile. "What do you think?'

"Uhm," Padme stalled. She hated it, but so far, had been unable to come up with a suitable name for her baby. Correction: Their baby. And she was running out of time. Only three months left in the pregnancy, and she refused to give birth to a nameless child. But she wanted the name to mean something, and 'full of facial hair' was not that 'something.' "Do you like it?" she asked Breha politely.

"It might grow on you. It could be used for a boy or a girl, and could be shortened to some cute variations," the older woman argued, "Aman...or just Man if it's a boy."

Padme didn't know what to say, but then the queen burst into a fit of giggles and Padme couldn't help but join her. If felt good to laugh again, the young woman thought. It had been a long time. Six months, to be exact. She wasn't depressed, but for that length of time, simply couldn't think of too many things to laugh about.

At first, when Obi-Wan had left, she had been angry. Angry and disappointed that he would leave her so easily, but then she decided he was ony doing what he thought was right. If Padme weren't pregnant, wouldn't she be doing the same thing? Trying her best to aid the Rebellion?

Her only regret was that she hadn't told him how she felt before he left. But Padme didn't want to hold him back. If she had told Obi-Wan she loved him, would that have made him stay? And would it have been a decision made out of an obligation? Or because he felt the same? How could she be sure?

Besides, hadn't her mother always told her that if you truly loved someone, you should give them their freedom? She had done that, hoping the rest of her mother's wisdom would prove true - that Obi-Wan would someday return to her and be hers to keep.

"Here," Breha interrupted her thoughts. "I like this one. Seriously," the queen stated as she scooted closer to Padme, showing her the datapad screen. "It means, 'as promised'"

Padme caught the meaning to Breha's unspoken words relayed by the gleam in the older woman's eyes, and looked at the screen. "Leia," she pronounced. "Popularity dating back to Pre-Antilles rule; meaning 'promised one,' or 'as promised.' Leia," Padme confirmed with a gleaming smile.

"Leia," Queen Breha echoed before shutting down the datapad.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19 **

It didn't take a surveillance recording to prove to Obi-Wan who was responsible for the massacre on Ossus. The evidence was eerily similar to the temple in Galactic City.

Darth Vader had been here, which was worrisome. It appeared his apprentice was one step ahead of him. Before he devised a way to change that, however, there was an unpleasant chore to do.

Within a couple of hours, Obi-Wan had gathered 57 bodies of the old and young Ysanna and piled them for a ritual burning. If indeed they were Jedi in training, then this was the only way he could pay them proper respect. However, upon approaching Jin-Lo's corpse, he noticed something he hadn't before. Leading up to the apprentice were tracks in the sand, as if the young man had physically drug himself across the floor by his one hand. But why? What had Padawan Rayce been so desperate to get to?

There was no technology of any type as far as Obi-Wan could see, no power source, not even a single glowlight, which would mean no comm station. Therefore, he had to assume, Jin-Lo was trying to get to something which was either of sentimental value to himself, or would be of great importance to somebody else.

Obi-Wan studied the posture of the body, focusing upon the arm and hand of the young man. Beneath the pale blue fingernails were bits of stone, flaked off the wall immediately beyond the body, as if Jin-Lo had been scraping his nails there. Obi-Wan lay his hands across the marks and applied just a touch of the Force, relieved when the lower portion of the wall seemed to give-way, revealing a small hollowed-out area just big enough for a datatext. Or in this instance, a stone tablet.

The Jedi Master reached into the alcove and withdrew two, upon which were etched names: Names of surviving Jedi and their possible locations.

_Kai Justiss, Felucia _

_Aven Rolk, Zish _

_Kento Marek, Kashykk _

_Shaak Tii, Felucia _

_Rahm Kota, Corellia_

_Kai Hudorra, Coruscant_

_Kazdan Paradus, Raxus Prime_

_Klossi Anno, Chalacta_

_Oli Starstone, unknown_

The list was incomplete, but it was a start. Padawan Rayce had done his research. It was a good thing Vader hadn't discovered it. Obi-Wan was already having trouble trying to figure out a way to get one step ahead of his past apprentice. This list was going to help.

The Jedi Master looked it over once more, saying its fifth name aloud. "Rahm, it's been a long time, my friend. I hope you feel like having a visitor."

Correllia was the capital planet of the Corellian system, with a temperate climate consisting of lush forests, beautiful oceans and golden sands. It was also a system of harsh judgment and immorality. A fitting place for his old comrade to be hiding, Obi-Wan thought.

During the war, Rahm Kota had served by the general's side for a short while. As a Jedi Master, he had possessed the ability to use the Force and was a strong leader, but had refused to lead the clone troops - a decision that would end up saving his life. The last time Obi-Wan had seen Rahm, he had taken his own militia of hired assasins to Kashykk to confront the Separatists.

Master Kota had been discovered by Master Windu as an adult and brought to the Jedi Temple for training - a mistake in Obi-Wan's mind. The man was never able to completely embrace the life of a Jedi or the Code, choosing to allow his emotions to often overrule his readings of the Force and his judgment. Obi-Wan felt it was only a matter of time before Rahm was faced with a situation he could not handle, and would either end up dead, or worse.

It was that 'worse' part which Obi-Wan was relying upon now. His knowledge of Kota's civilian habits was going to hopefully narrow his search. He would start looking in Coronet, Corellia's largest city, past the shipyards, where the pleasures workers and gamblers thrived.

Only through the questioning of several barkeep and spiced-up pleasure girls, had Obi-Wan discovered the location of the 'scar-faced man with the long white tail' in a seedy establishment on Selonian Street - a friendly cantina named The Panic Button. He entered without notice of the bouncer, sliding up to the bar to order a Blue Dwarf, although the green glowlights in the place made it appear more of a disturbing shade of teal. The barkeep of this particular place looked nowhere near as friendly as the others he had spoken with this day, which made Obi-Wan believe he had come to the right place. Kota probably knew the man personally.

"Hey," Obi-Wan exclaimed throatily, tugging on the workman's sleeve, "do you know someone named Rahm?"

"That depends," the oversized bartender replied, wiping a glass with a questionably clean rag.

Obi-Wan waited patiently on a finish to the statement, and decided none was apparently coming. "On what?"

"On who's askin'."

"Ben Lars, professional gambler." To add some visual support to his character, Obi-Wan lay his DL-44 blaster upon the bar and leveled the man with a strong glare.

"That don't tell me nothin'. Gamblers are a credit a dozen 'round here. My advice is for you to mind your business and move along."

The large man turned his back and continued his work, but Obi-Wan wasn't about to be ignored. The Force was telling him Kota was here. The Jedi Master spun the being around again with the same tactic, only this time pointing the blaster into the man's pudgy face, the blunt end of it pressing against a rather crooked, pockmarked nose.

"I don't have time for any games today. Tell me where he is and maybe I'll let you keep your good looks."

Surprisingly, the barkeep paused. Obviously, he had met up with beings like Obi-Wan was pretending to be before. Finally, the bartender sniffed loudy, and responded nasally. "Through the green curtain in back. Watch your step. He's in a bad mood."

"When isn't he?" Obi-Wan replied, walking away while the barkeep barked with laughter.

Obi-Wan hadn't seen Master Kota in seven years, and he wasn't sure was to expect. He kept his blaster in his hand, just in case.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

The room Obi-Wan entered was humid and filled with a nauseating odor the Jedi was disturbed to discover was human excrement. And in the middle of it, slumped over a spice humidor, was none other than Rahm Kota, although his appearance wasn't exactly as Obi-Wan remembered. Master Kota's once sleek and shiny pale mane was unkempt and oily, sticking to his scalp. He was unshaved, unclean, and blind.

A filthy rag was tied about the man's eye sockets and so Obi-Wan assumed Rahm had lost his sight at some point, as well as maybe his hearing. The older Jedi hadn't even acknowledged his presence.

When Rahm reached for a filthy glass containing an amber liquid and placed it to his lips, Obi-Wan cleared his throat, causing Kota to choke and experience a coughing spasm.

"Of all the stupid... Son-of-a-Sith!," the man cursed cleaning the spilled liquor off his tunic with his sleeve, although Obi-Wan didn't see the point. "Who's there!"

"You could use a bath," Obi-Wan stated simply, approaching warily.

Awareness was slow in coming, but it came, and a steady grin appeared across the elder's face, "General Kenobi, what in the hell are you doing on Correllia?"

"I came looking for you," Obi-Wan replied, thinking of taking a seat, but not seeing anything remotely sturdy enough, he decided to remain standing. "We've got work to do."

A low chuckle issued from the blind man, and he took another drink. "I don't work for the Republic any more. Didn't you hear? You don't either! There _is_ no fucking Republic!"

He was drunk. It was the one habit of Kota's the Jedi couldn't train out of him.

"I need help and you're a Jedi."

"Not any more," Kota chuckled again, leaning back in a plasteel chair that protested loudly with the movement. "I can no longer access the Force, my friend."

"Come with me, Rahm. I can help you. We can get you back into shape, retrain you."

He didn't laugh this time, but the older man shook his head negatively in response. "Too late. I'm going to stay here and rot. You'd better find a place to hide too. I hear your old Padawan is tracking us down. Soon, there won't be a single Jedi left."

Obi-Wan could hardly believe his ears. What had happened to Rahm to make him so bitter and complacent? "Why.." he asked softly, leaning against the humidity table, but avoiding the spice vents. "Why have you given up? This isn't over!"

"It is for me. Look at me!" Kota threw his arms out in an effort to make his disability more obvious.

"You don't need your physical sight to use the Force, Rahm," Obi-Wan argued. "You know this."

"Ah...I forgot about you and your youthful optimism, Kenobi," Kota cackled, refilling his glass from an equally dirty pitcher, which Obi-Wan had the desire to make fly against the far wall, busting it into a thousand shards. "You go ahead and follow your delusions of grandeur and leave me the hell alone."

Apparently, there was no convincing him, and frankly, Obi-Wan didn't have the time it was going to take to make the man sober.

"Have a nice life, Rahm," he said over his shoulder as Obi-Wan headed back toward the green curtain.

Rahm's rote Jedi farewell was said, but it was said into his glass, and Obi-Wan chose to ignore it. There were more Jedi on his list to pursue.

The banged-up transport Obi-Wan had purchased made it out of Correllia space without a hitch, but it wasn't going to go so well when he tried to exit the system. On his scanner, Obi-Wan picked up evidence of several ships in his sector and moving in on him fast. He maneuvered parallel to his current position, to avoid detection, but his tactic hadn't worked. The ships were closing in quickly, and there was nowhere to run.

Then, suddenly and shockingly, Obi-Wan's craft wasn't the only thing being pursued. A vaguely familiar and very powerful presence was trying to invade his mind, and Obi-Wan strengthened his shields. It had done little good, however, and soon the invasion was accompanied by a voice - although it barely resembled the one Obi-Wan had listened to for nearly twenty years.

_"Your attempts at gathering the Jedi will be unsuccessful," the voice spoke within Obi-Wan's mind. "Soon, all the Jedi will be dead, and you along with them...my Master." _

"Not if I have anything to do with it," Obi-Wan countered, performing a sharp dive to avoid the tractor beam being emitted by Vader's ship.

_"You have failed. The time of the Jedi is past. The future is mine to control!" _

Obi-Wan's thoughts betrayed him, and he should've known better, but the mention of the future immediately brought forth an image of a beautiful baby, being held by an equally beautiful woman. The thought had occurred for just a fraction of a second, but it was long enough. It wasn't until that moment he realized how much danger the child..._his_ child was in.

_"I will find and kill the bastard child you have spawned, and the end of the Jedi will be complete. You betrayed it just as you betrayed me." _

Especially now. Shit.

The flash of turbolasers screamed past Obi-Wan's Nu-Class shuttle, causing him to veer sharply to the left, and pitch the ship in a way that always turned his stomach, but he knew it was just a matter of time. His gambling credits had only gone so far. This bucket of bolts was not going to outrun Vader's Delta-class starfighter. The Jedi Master was about to try and negotiate his escape, when a bright beam swept across the hull, locking onto him.

His shuttle may not be able to outrun his opponents, but he could outgun them.

Obi-Wan fired off two rear double-light lasers, striking one of Vader's escorts, though not the one he had intended. The other - the one with the tractor beam locked onto him, suffered only wing damage, although it had been enough to release his ship. Obi-Wan took advantage of the opportunity to perform a stall and a steep dive.

Vader, however, was not fooled, and was soon on his tail again. Obi-Wan's shuttle was hit once, knocking out the lateral controls, and then twice, ruining his chance of escape. The life pod controls had been essentially obliterated. Vader had no intention on allowing him to live through this.

Two rear blasts from the shuttle missed their target, and one final one from the starfighter disabled Obi-Wan's engines. He was a sitting duck, albeit a surprised one.

_"I'm not going to kill you, my Master. I'm going to leave you to die slowly - as you left me to torture and burn. Ironic, since you are going to freeze to death instead." _

True, thought Obi-Wan glumly since his life support system was essentially non-existent.

_"Do not worry, Master," _Vader continued in his mind,_ "you won't be alone for very long. Quite soon, your progeny will be joining you." _


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

About an hour ago, his toes had become numb, followed by his fingertips and nose: Simultaneously a relief as well as a bad sign. The discomfort had been appeased, but that meant he was in the beginning stages of hypothermia. It was +273 Kelvin in space, and Obi-Wan estimated with the insulation of his shuttle and the cooling rate of his own body temperature, he had approximately two hours and 14 minutes before he went into organ failure, coma, and then death.

He could accept his fate with relative serenity. He had made peace with his past mistakes and resolved the feelings he had over Anakin's turn to the Dark Side. However, there was one nagging regret, which tugged on Obi-Wan's heart.

He shouldn't have left her.

Who did he think he was venturing out into the Galaxy alone in a sad attempt to save it single-handedly? He had gained nothing. Sure, he had discovered Vader's plan to rid the Galaxy of the Jedi, but Obi-Wan could've figured that out back on Alderaan, through Bail's communiqués.

Now, the confrontation he had hoped to avoid until he was prepared had occurred, and he had not only put himself in danger, but Padme and their unborn child as well.

What a fool he had been. And it was apparently too late to do anything about it. He couldn't contact her, had nothing to write with or on, and he couldn't contact her with his mind. He had tried, and laughed at his attempt. She wasn't a Jedi. What had he been hoping for? Some kind of life bond or something? Unheard of.

He was losing it. Another sign Obi-Wan was approaching the end of his life.

His teeth chattered uncontrollably now, his body involuntarily trembling in a vain effort for self-preservation, but it was no use. It was time he embraced his destiny and humbly enter the haven of the Force.

* * *

Padme had been polishing the solid gold goblets, which the House of Antilles prided themselves on, in an effort to maintain a sense of purpose. The truth was, she was bored out of her mind. Bail's communications were occurring more rarely, and other than waiting on the baby to be born, there was very little else to do. She couldn't gallivant around Aldara for fear of being recognized, and the palace was cleaned regularly by droids. She had dismissed one just a few moments ago in order to have something to occupy her time.

She had finished with the goblets and was reaching for one of the beautiful crystal serving platters when the first pain hit. It was a low, sharp ache, which radiated to her side. Padme took several deep breaths to try and make it go away, and then she waited.

After just a few seconds, the discomfort had abated and she once again resumed her task, this time pulling a stack of crystal chargers into her arms, dropping them to the floor with a crash when a second more powerful pain hit her full force in the stomach, doubling her over.

Breha was quickly on the scene.

"I'm sorry," Padme breathed out, wincing with the discomfort.

"Don't be ridiculous," the queen scolded her gently. "Those things belonged to Bail's family, not mine." A wink accompanied Breha's tease, but as another cramping discomfort tore through her middle, Padme didn't feel like laughing.

"Is it the baby?" Breha asked, her eyes wide in alarm.

Padme tried to straighten her body, but the splintering discomfort didn't allow it. Breha yelled out for assistance before putting her arms around the young woman for support.

"It's too early," Padme spoke with alarm. "And don't call me crazy, but I think something's wrong with Obi-Wan."

"We'll worry about that later. Come, let's get you into bed."

* * *

Just like the Force to change the course of his destiny at the last possible moment.

At first, Obi-Wan thought he was hallucinating – not uncommon with severe hypothermia. A massive darkness had enveloped his ship, creeping over it like the long shadows of twilight until everything went black and his world turned increasingly warm.

The next thing he was aware of was being submerged in bacta. There had only been a few times in his life when there was a need for the medicinal bath. Once had been when he had succumbed to a case of Gomorrean pox. He had been 14 years old at the time, and remembered very little other than his Master's continuous pacing in front of the bacta tank.

This time, he was alone – or so he thought. Someone had picked him up and placed him in the bacta, he just wasn't sure who it was, or even more bothersome, what they wanted.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Someone was calling to him, but he didn't recognize the voice. It was a cry for help, but the sound was so muffled, like it was being transmitted from under water. Or was being interfered with by the thick bacta gel. At times, it sounded like Padme, but other times, it didn't sound anything like her at all. It was a voice he had never heard, speaking a language he could not understand. But one thing was clear - whomever the voice belonged to was in trouble, and they were asking for his help.

However, he couldn't help them. Not yet. Not until he got out of this tank.

Obi-Wan struggled to move, flexing first his toes and then his fingers - all which seemed to be in working order. He just hoped he still possessed the tip of his nose. He opened his eyes and through the pink haze, saw two odd-looking beings staring at him through the transparasteel.

Great. Phindians.

The tank was drained and Obi-Wan eagerly stepped from its confines, detaching the respiration device and pulling it out through his nasal passage. The entire system was antiquated, but he owed these two his life - something he was going to have to remember in the upcoming moments.

"You see, you see?" the taller being spoke to his companion. "He is not dead. I will not be in trouble. No, I will not!"

"True, he is not dead, but steal his ship I did! Scrap, I sell it for scrap! I should be thankful, but see he is familiar?"

Obi-Wan stood quite still, allowing the bacta gel drip off him and onto the plasteel deck, puddling about his feet. He was becoming dizzy, and it had nothing to do with his condition. The Phinidians had drawn quite close to him and were now scrutinizing his face.

"I see. I was right. Not so, I lie. No comparison."

"Pardon me," Obi-Wan attempted to gain their attention - a nearly impossible task when trying to interrupt a Phindian conversation.

"Not so, Bendi! Look! I look at his eyes. They are the same! I will be in deep trouble!"

Obi-Wan leaned backward as the two studied him too closely for his comfort.

"Pardon me," Obi-Wan attempted again, "I wanted to thank you for your kind assistance."

"You see? Coruscanti. I tell you brother, this is the one!"

The one? "I know it may be asking a lot," Obi-Wan continued, looking around the cluttered area for his clothing, "but I was wondering if perhaps you could give me a ride back to Alderaan." Aha! Obi-Wan discovered his things on a nearby cot and proceeded to get dressed, wiping off the excess bacta with the fresh towel lying next to his things.

"I saw his weapons, no lightning sword! He cannot be. Not so! They do not travel without a lightning sword."

Lightning sword, wondered Obi-Wan. What were these two talking about? He needed to find out if he was going to have any successful negotiations with them. If Phindians were one thing, they were self-centered neurotic beings, concerned with their own safety most of all.

"Just who do you two think I am?" he asked, clearing the bacta out of his left ear.

Yellow eyes peered down upon him, and for the first time since he had come out of the tank, they had nothing to say, until one nudged the other with an elbow.

"Jedi," the one called Bendi whispered loudly as if divulging a deep, dark secret.

Obi-Wan swallowed the lump which had quickly formed in his throat and laughed heartily. Best to play this as naively as possible.

"See Bendi? Not so! He cannot be. He has no lightning sword and he laughs! Not so!"

"Much credits he would bring. Think about what a big ship I could buy! More scrap, more credits, bigger ship, more scrap, more credits! You see Loxi?"

"Not so! He will kill us! I will die!"

This was getting ridiculous.

"I will not die!" Loxi decided. "He is not Jedi. Not so!"

"How much?" Obi-Wan asked bluntly. "How much is a Jedi going for these days?"

"Millions of credits!" Bendi declared, his long arms stretching out wide. "Not so, I lie. 250,000 for any Jedi. But for you, General Kenobi, 500,000. Yes! 500,000!"

Obi-Wan nodded his head and smirked. Following the Clone Wars, his photograph had been posted all over the Holonet. He was surprised they had recognized him with his disguise, however, and wondered if perhaps the bacta had removed his hair dye. Perhaps he should've donned colored lenses.

It wasn't a bad price for his head. More than he thought it would be. Obi-Wan finished dressing, strapping on the blaster the Phindians obviously never thought of hiding from him, and noticed with humor the safety wasn't even on.

He was wasting time. "Listen," he advised, meeting their gazes and gently painting his words with the Force. "I am not a Jedi. I am a gambler who had some engine trouble. I need to get back to Alderaan and you two are going to take me there."

The Phindians blinked a few times, but then turned toward one another, as if they had completely forgotten he was there. "The ship brother. I should leave it. It isn't worth anything!"

"Then I use it for scrap! Not so, I lie! I take it to the shipyards! Correllia! I go to Correllia!"

Maybe one more time..."Listen," Obi-Wan repeated, tapping on the Phindian's shoulders to turn them around, and then gesture with his hand. "You will take me to Alderaan now."

"I go to Alderaan" Bendi echoed.

"Not so!" Loxi argued, "I lie! I do not travel the Hydian Way! Too dangerous. Too close, too close to the Deep Core."

Was it possible these Phindians were too intelligent for a Force suggestion? Pffft, Obi-Wan thought. No way.

"You will take me to Alderaan now," Obi-Wan repeated with a more powerful Force application.

"Alderaan, yes. Yes, I go." both of them finally agreed.

* * *

The pain had increased once she had lay down, to the point Padme didn't think she could take much more. Breha had contacted her personal physician, who promised he would arrive within the half hour.

It was more like 40 minutes. By that time, Padme had soaked her clothing with sweat while Breha wiped her brow with a cool towel. The elderly man immediately ushered the queen away from the bed and began his examination, applying a hypospray to Padme's neck to eliminate some of the pain.

His wrinkled face creased with a frown as he withdrew the portable holoscan. "Partial placental detachment. We need to get her into surgery right away. This baby has to come out."

"But it's too early!" Padme breathlessly pleaded.

"Everything will be all right," the doctor promised while gently patting her arm, and Padme believed him. Between the lines of age present on the elderly man's face was the kindest set of blue eyes she had ever seen.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

It had been the longest two days of Obi-Wan's life. He had forgotten how much Phindians loved to hear the sound of their own voice. Back before he had become a padawan, Obi-Wan had befriended a Phindian during his time on Bandomeer. His name was Guerra, and although Master Qui-Gon hadn't approved of the friendship, Obi-Wan had found the Phindian to be entertaining to talk with, and a loyal companion.

These particular Phinidians, however, were more mature than Guerra had been, and Obi-Wan was afraid his patience for their incessant arguing was beginning to wane.

By the time their barge had docked at the Aldara Space Port, his ears were literally sore from having to endure their non-stop conversation, but the Jedi bore the ritual Phindian farewells with a smile.

Three hugs – one for the sorrow of parting, the second for hopes for a continuing friendship, and a third for the hope of a future reunion were shared with the Jedi, even though he had pounded them at the sabaac table for two days.

They were friendly and funny to listen to, but he wasn't sure he trusted them. Phindians as a whole were reliable, but these renegades seemed determined to become independently wealthy and he wasn't sure to what lengths they would go to gain that wealth.

Just to be on the safe side…

"Thank you for the ride, Bendi, Loxi. I enjoyed getting to know you. I must hurry and go now or I'll be late for the tournament."

"Yes, yes the tournament. You play good sabaac Ben! You will win, I am sure!"

"Not so, Lexi!" Bendi argued. "He is not better than I! He cheats! Not so, I lie!" Bendi laughed uproariously at his own joke, turning silent once the gambler's hand waved in front of his eyes.

"You will not speak of me to anyone. Do you understand?"

The pair seemed mesmerized by the gesture and stared at Obi-Wan, and then at each other, before they began arguing once more.

"I should stay in this space. Much junk! Did you see? Lots of credits to be had! I would be rich!"

"Listen!" Obi-Wan firmly commanded. "Do you understand?"

"Of what does he speak, Bendi? I understand many things, Ben."

Force…

"You will not mention to anyone you met me. Got it?"

"Who are you?" Lexi mumbled after the look on his face transformed to utter confusion.

Good enough. Obi-Wan spared his sanity and walked quickly away.

The voice he had been hearing off and on for the past two days was coming from somewhere inside the palace. He must hurry.

* * *

Padme still couldn't believe that she had somehow created this beautiful creature she held in her arms. This perfect, beautiful little girl.

"How lucky you are," Breha cooed. The woman had been Padme's constant companion since the emergency delivery. Padme didn't blame her. Leia was absolutely perfect, and Padme couldn't agree more. She was the luckiest woman in the galaxy.

"I mean," the queen continued, "we didn't even have a boy name picked out!"

"I didn't need one. I don't know how I knew, but I knew it was a girl," Padme explained. "But I didn't know she would be so…beautiful!"

"She is a lovely thing, Padme, but then you and Obi-Wan are both handsome. It's no wonder."

At the mention of Obi-Wan's name, Padme's eyes lost some of their sparkle. Even though she had trusted the physician to perform the surgery, she had been upset it had happened so quickly. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Padme was certain Obi-Wan would be there during the delivery of their child. He wasn't, and it was disappointing to say the least.

And now, she began to wonder and worry about him. No one had heard from him in nearly six months. He could have been captured, injured, or worse. What bothered her more than not knowing, however, was not being able to find out. Serving as a senator for all those years, she had her contacts throughout the galaxy, but she couldn't risk asking any of them anything.

She was supposed to be dead.

It was during these melancholy moments, which Breha chose to give her some time alone, and Padme was grateful. The sorrowful look in the woman's soulful dark eyes always made Padme want to burst into tears.

However, the time Breha allowed for Padme to compose herself wasn't the usual length. Much too soon, the older woman was knocking on the doorway to her suite, her eyes wide, her smile broad.

"Padme…someone's here to see you."


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

It was if the galaxy had shifted and everything was moving in slow motion: Breha stepping to the side to allow the visitor into the room, the man's booted feet stepping lightly across the marble floor.

The boots. They were leather, they were black, and they were thick-soled.

Forcing her eyes to move up, Padme noted black canvas pants tucked into the top of the boots, leather patches in some places, a thick, leather holster encompassing a DL-40 blaster strapped to one thigh. A trim waist - more narrow than she remembered, a black bantha-hide vest over an equally dark shirt, with a rip in the right sleeve. Dark hair, longer than before, almost to his shoulders Padme noted as her eyes continued to his face. Still clean-shaven, but his mouth was slack as his gray-green eyes focused upon the bundle in her arms.

When their focus slowly lifted to Padme's own gaze, time froze solid.

Obi-Wan was here, and suddenly, she didn't know what was going to happen. She had envisioned this moment a million times, dreamed about it, had nightmares about it. What would he do? What would he say? Would their reunion be sweet or bitter? Would she feel the urge to rush into his arms or deliver a blow that would bring him to his knees?

When he had left after finding out she was pregnant, Padme hated to admit it, but the latter thought had been her initial one. She had been angry. But over time, she had come to terms with his decision and with the fact her love was not, and probably would never be returned.

But staring at him in the doorway to the suite she had occupied for the past nine months, holding the child they had created in her arms, Padme was numb with anticipation and fear. And Obi-Wan wasn't moving either. Until he did. Suddenly, and in the opposite direction.

Padme quickly looked to Breha for an explanation, but the older lady looked as confused as she did.

* * *

The Queen found the Master Jedi huddled on the floor down the hall from Padme's suite, his hands buried deep in his dark locks, rocking slightly to and fro. She stepped in front of him, hoping he would notice her presence without her having to say anything. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know what was going on.

Without changing his posture or looking up at her, Obi-Wan began his explanation. "It was the child all along," he murmured in disbelief. "All this time, I've been hearing her call to me, although I didn't understand what she was saying."

Finally, Obi-Wan lifted his head, and when Breha saw the tears streaming down his face, her heart softened dramatically and she knelt in front of him, placing a supportive hand on top of his knee.

"Was the birth difficult?" he asked, wiping his nose with the back of his hand.

"Yes," Breha replied, deciding to not withhold the truth. If he wanted to know, she was going to let him know - all of it. He needed to hear it. "There was a tear in the placenta and Padme was in a lot of pain. The physician had to perform emergency surgery."

Obi-Wan's head dropped back down, the fingers in his hair beginning to flex and pull. "I should've been here for her! I could've helped her! I never should've left."

"But you're here now, Obi-Wan, and Padme still needs you. She loves you. I probably shouldn't be the one saying it, but you're both too stubborn to admit it yourselves. And you love her as well, am I right?"

For a few seconds, Breha worried. The Jedi's head was shaking in a negative gesture, but then his eyes met hers once again and she smiled. Just wait until she told Bail! She knew she was right!

"I shouldn't," Obi-Wan admitted softly, "but I do. And the baby...how can I love someone so much when I haven't even met her?"

"Oh, but you have. You just told me she was speaking to you." When it came to Jedi, Breha was always amazed at their abilities, and apparently Obi-Wan was as well.

"She was," he said in awe, wiping his hand across his mouth, touching a beard, which was no longer present. "How is that possible?" he said to nobody in particular. "I've already established a bond with her...in the womb? Amazing."

"Yes it is," Breha agreed, "and equally amazing is the woman sitting in that room waiting to find out why in the hell you just ran out on her..."

"Again," Obi-Wan finished the statement, drawing in his knees and standing quickly. "Excuse me, I have some explaining to do."

* * *

What? What had just happened? Not once in her dreams or her visions had Obi-Wan returned and then ran away. Not once! And what had caused the look of complete panic to appear on his face? Was becoming a father really that terrifying? Or perhaps he was disappointed Leia was a girl. Had he been expecting a boy?

No, Padme argued with herself. That couldn't be it. Obi-Wan Kenobi never ran away from anything. He was the bravest man she had ever known.

Then what?

Perhaps it wasn't panic on his face. Perhaps, Padme thought - it was fear. Fear for what he had to do.

The thought made Padme sick to her stomach. That had to be it. He had come back to take the baby away from her. To take Leia halfway across the galaxy to be trained by Yoda, and he was too afraid to tell her.

Well, if that was what he had come back to Alderaan for, he could forget it. Padme realized that one day, Leia would need to embrace her destiny, but if Obi-Wan thought he was going to take her away from her this soon, only two days after her birth, he had another thing coming.

She would kill him if he tried.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

The nursery aid had taken the baby, so that when Padme faced Obi-Wan, she would do so alone, with her hands free. When he made his re-appearance, however, he was the opposite of what she would describe as aggressive. In fact, if she wasn't mistaken, it appeared as if he'd been crying, which confused Padme even further. His contrite appearance did help her to relax. A little.

"Padme."

Her name was spoken so sweetly, so reverently, it made her blush. Perhaps this reunion would be the one she had dreamed about.

"Where's the baby?"

Maybe not.

"In the nursery."

"She's beautiful. She looks like you."

"Thank you."

"May I sit down?"

"Of course." She may not trust his reasons for returning, but Padme couldn't forget her manners. "You look tired."

The hint of a smile did not reach his eyes. The truth was, he looked exhausted. There was no telling what Obi-Wan had been through in the past few months. The thought caused Padme to lose a bit of her cynicism and join him on the sofa. She sat down on his right and turned a bit to face him, although neither were looking at one another. They both seemed content to study the patterns on the marble floor.

"I'm sorry," he began, and Padme held her breath. Here it came. He was sorry, but he had to take their daughter away. He was sorry that he couldn't love her. Sorry that he couldn't give her what she needed and what she hadn't realized until this moment - so desperately wanted.

"I'm sorry I left like I did, that I wasn't here for you when...when you needed me."

The words were not what Padme was expecting, but the threat still remained. Her suspicion was still raised. But there were tears again in his eyes. Were they being caused by guilt? Did he honestly feel that bad about taking away her child? Good! He deserved to!

Obi-Wan reached to take her hand in his, which Padme allowed, although her fingers remained curled into a fist.

"It's my plan to never do that again. What I'm trying to say is...I never want to leave you again. I want you to marry me. Marry me and go with me to Dagobah to be with Master Yoda - as a family."

What? "What did you say?" Padme realized it was cruel to ask to repeat himself, but she had to make sure she'd heard him correctly. Did he just ask her to marry him?

Apparently, it was a day full of surprises, and nothing surprised Padme more than when Obi-Wan slipped from the sofa to kneel in front of her, taking both of her hands in his. "Marry me, Padme Amidala. I love you and I never want to let you out of my sight again."

* * *

In some ways, the ceremony was similar to her first: just a few witnesses, a palace official reading their vows. But in other ways, it was completely different. Together, she and Obi-Wan stood in front of the floor to ceiling windows overlooking Mount Aldara, in the cabin they had considered their home for nearly a year. They were surrounded not only by the warmth of the roaring fire, but the friendship of the ones who had opened their home and hearts to them. It was Breha's wedding dress, which Padme wore, and it was Bail who handed Obi-Wan the ring, which he placed proudly on Padme's finger.

There were no flowers, no music, no dancing afterward, and outside the cabin at the base of the mountain was a ship waiting to take the three of them to Dagobah.

Nothing was happening like she thought it would, but for Padme, everything could not be more perfect.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 25 Epilogue**

"She's sound asleep," Padme informed Obi-Wan, taking her seat in the copilot's position on board the large MC30 frigate Bail had commandeered for them. It not only served as their transport, but would serve as their future home as well. They both appreciated the gesture, but wasn't sure if they would ever get used to the smell permeating the vessel. Obi-Wan had tried to alter the environmental controls, but as Padme had already discovered, he wasn't very talented when it came to things like that.

"I used to visit my Mon Calamari friend, Bant, in the Temple and could never become accustomed to it. I would leave with my tunics completely soaked through."

"Something we need to get used to, I suppose," Padme noted. "Dagobah isn't exactly arid."

"It's either there or.."

"Don't say it," Padme warned playfully. Mentioning the planet Tatooine had become an inside joke between them, but only after they had talked at length. Finally talked. On their trip from Alderaan to Dagobah, Obi-Wan had told her everything that had happened during his mission - Vader threatening him, the reason why they had to leave Aldara so quickly. There was still a connection between them, and Obi-Wan was afraid Vader would find him again, and if he found Obi-Wan, he would find Padme and Leia, and he was not about to let that happen.

Dagobah was the only place where they would be safe from Vader. It held so much of the Living Force through its thriving marshlands and forests, his and Leia's Force signatures would not be detected.

When they finally entered the atmosphere, Padme had strapped both her and the baby into the auxiliary station compartment further back. Obi-Wan had told her the massive canopy of Dagobah was interfering with the ship's scans. He was going to have to land with the Force's assistance only.

Through the front portal, Padme could see the oncoming thick foliage, and then she could hear it slapping against the ship's hull. However, the massive ship had no trouble piercing through the forest, and along with Obi-Wan's skill with the Force, their landing was fairly uneventful.

With thrusters firing, splattering mud all over the hull, the ship finally settled somewhat, sinking deeply into the marsh.

The loading ramp opened, immersing into more mud, with Padme and Obi-Wan standing at its peak. The view was...slimy, and Padme looked to Obi-Wan for mental support, which she received in abundance. After taking the baby from her arms, he leaned forward and kissed her gently. "Welcome home."

And that's what this was. It didn't matter what planet they were on. As long as they were together, they were home. Obi-Wan and Leia were her home.

She turned her attention back to the scene which lay before them with a pair of new eyes, beholding a most cheerful sight. Beyond the mud, standing in the greenery was Master Yoda, smiling cheerfully, leaning on his gimerstick. He levitated himself over the muck, and landed gently at the top of the ramp in front of them.

"Good to see you both, it is. Busy, you have been."

Padme unwittingly blushed, glancing at the sleeping baby in he husband's arms.

The Grand Master Jedi peeled back the receiving blanket to peer at the youngster. "Like both of you, she looks, but where is the other?"

"Other. Uhm..other what?" Obi-Wan stammered.

"Siblings I foresee. The prophecy, forget you did?"

"We...uh..we didn't..." It was Padme's turn to stutter.

"Here," Yoda took Leia from her father's arms, cooing the young girl back to sleep when she roused. "Now, work you have to do. Busy, you must be again. Go."

A free three-fingered claw directed the couple toward the back of the ship, and in disbelief, the couple obeyed, walking silently down the corridor.

"You'll have to excuse Master Yoda, he takes these prophecies very seriously," Obi-Wan told her quietly, noticing her look of shock. "And he really adores younglings. Leia will be fine."

"I'm not worried about Leia," Padme replied, "Master Yoda just swatted my ass with his stick!"

/fin

* * *

Author's Notes: Thanks everyone for sticking around and especially for telling me what you thought. I got a little off track about midway through and this story went somewhere I had not intended, but I think it turned out okay. Going to start outlining the next one soon, so be watching for it! Thanks again. :)


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